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Welcome to the Legendary Upside 
Premium podcast feed. 

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This episode is a narration of 
my Legendary running back 

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article. 
Very excited to get this one to 

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you. 
Have been in the lab, have been 

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in The Time Machine traveling to
the future, seeing how these 

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seasons actually play out game 
by game. 

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Giving you all the details. 
Let's dive in. 2025 legendary 

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running back scenarios. 4 years 
ago I wrote an article on Rotor 

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World called Don't draft an 
early round running back without

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legendary upside. 
Being new to the Rotor World 

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Team, I wanted to impress and so
I built a time machine, 

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travelling to December 2021 to 
see which running backs became 

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fantasy legends. 
I continued to time travel in 

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2022-2023 and 2024. 
This year I've travelled to 

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December 2025 to find our 
legendary running backs. 

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What is a legendary season? 
If you're new to the concept of 

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legendary upside, here's the 
deal. 

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Running backs in the early 
rounds bust at high rates. 

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In my original research, I found
that running back bust rates in 

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the first two rounds were 
actually higher than in rounds 3

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through 6. 
This is despite running backs in

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rounds 3 through 6 being such a 
drag on rosters that the range 

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of the draft became the running 
back dead zone. 

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But the dead zone isn't where 
bust rates spike, it's where 

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upside stops. 
In the early rounds, bust rates 

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are absolutely brutal, but there
are also potentially league 

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winning players available and if
we're going to risk losing our 

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league with an early round 
running back selection, the 

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upside needs to be worth it. 
With that goal in mind, I 

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examined 36 running back seasons
from 2000 through 2020 in which 

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a running back hit 23 plus PPR 
points per game with 12 plus 

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games played. 
These seasons generated a 

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profile to help us predict 
future legendary seasons. 

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The target profile looks like 
this. 

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A path to four plus receptions 
per game. 

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A path to two plus Green Zone or
inside the 10 opportunities per 

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game. 
Strongly prioritizing versatile 

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running backs with paths to high
volume receiving end goal line 

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rolls. 
A path to good, ideally elite 

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offensive line play. 
A path to an efficient passing 

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offense unless the passing 
offense can run through the 

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running back. 
Being skeptical of running backs

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who entered the NFL below 210 
lbs unless the running back has 

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a clear lock on goal line 
duties. 

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Applying extra scrutiny to 
running backs 26 and older, 

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excluding rare prospects. 
Remain very price sensitive on 

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rookies. 
Prioritizing second year players

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and being skeptical and assuming
significant role increases for 

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non second year players. 
Prioritizing running backs who 

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have flashed the elite talent 
required to deliver high end 

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efficiency. 
Strongly prioritizing running 

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backs who have flashed elite 
receiving ability. 

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This profile sets a very high 
bar, but that's part of the 

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point. 
From 2000 through 2020, there 

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were just 1.7 Legendary running 
back seasons per year, and since

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writing the article, we've had 
only four Legendary seasons, one

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per year. 
In 2021, Jonathan Taylor barely 

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qualified with 23 points per 
game from weeks one through 17. 

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In 2022, Austin Eckler averaged 
23 points per game from weeks 

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one through 17 and concluded his
Legendary Fantasy campaign with 

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32.1 points. 
In 2023, Christian McCaffrey put

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up 24.6 PPR points per game and 
fell less than 7 points short of

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his 2nd 400 plus point season. 
McCaffrey now has four legendary

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seasons on his resume. 
In 2024, Saquon Barkley 

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technically fell just short of a
legendary season with 21.9 PPR 

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points per game, but because 
Barkley was a second round pick 

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for most of the summer, his ADP 
on underdog averaged to 18.8. 

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The effect was very much that of
a legendary season. 

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His 48.3% underdog advance rate 
was significantly higher than 

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Mccaffrey's 36.2% the year 
before. 

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Plus Barkley won the Super Bowl.
We're counting it. 

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Barkley now has two legendary 
seasons to his name. 

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Silent killers. 
Legendary seasons are rare and 

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high end seasons that are worth 
searching for. 

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But it's not just running back 
injury risk that we're taking on

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when doing so. 
We're also at risk of landing on

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silent killers. 
Last year, Bruce Hall was our 

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quintessential silent killer. 
He played in 16 games, but 

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turned in just 14.9 PPR points 
per game. 

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Hall had just a 9.8% advance 
rate, just 61% of the expected 

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rate. 
Bijan Robinson and Austin Eckler

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were good examples of this idea.
In 2023, Robinson played 17 

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games but averaged just 14.7 PPR
points per game because he went 

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in the first round of drafts. 
His good, not great production 

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hurt rosters more than you might
assume. 

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His 10.3 underdog advance rate 
was just 62% of the expected 

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rate. 
Austin Eckler played fourteen 

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games in 2023, but his scoring 
dropped from 22.1 PPR points per

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game to 13.5. 
Like Robinson, he was a first 

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round pick, leading to an 8.3% 
advance rate, exactly half the 

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expected rate. 
Keep in mind that Nick Chubb 

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posted a 6.3% advance rate in 
2023 despite playing just two 

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games. 
Silent Killers are Killers 2025 

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Legendary Running Back Scenarios
Below, I've outlined 2 futures 

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for the 11 running backs going 
in the first two rounds of 

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drafts. 
Then I discuss how I'm 

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approaching each running back. 
First up, Bijan Robinson 

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Legendary scenario When Michael 
Pennix takes the field against 

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the Buccaneers in Week 1, it's 
immediately clear to the home 

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crowd and everyone watching at 
home that he's ready. 

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Pennix isn't dominant. 
He's still functionally a 

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rookie. 
There are growing pains, but 

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Pennix keeps the offense moving,
make smart decisions, and keeps 

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things competitive. 
This is absolutely huge for 

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Bijan Robinson, who finally has 
stability at the quarterback 

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position for a full season. 
Even better, although Pennix is 

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good enough to keep drives 
alive, he's not yet to the point

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where the Falcons are 
comfortable building the offense

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around a pass first approach. 
Instead, they use Robinson as 

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the engine of the offense. 
Granted, there are a few bumps 

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in the road. 
The Falcons get boat race by the

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Commanders in Week 3, losing 36 
to 9 at home. 

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But Robinson still manages a non
disastrous 12.4 PPR points, 

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catching 4 balls for 39 yards 
and rushing for 45 more. 

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Better yet, it's his lowest 
point total of the entire 

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season. 
Robinson is a workhorse for the 

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Falcons, carrying the ball 298 
times and adding 77 receptions. 

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It's a season that draws 
comparisons to peak Le'veon Bell

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and Matt Forte. 
With 5.2 yards per carry, 

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Robinson isn't the most 
efficient rusher in the league. 

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He's not even in the elite tier.
His receiving efficiency is the 

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same, a strong but firmly sub 
elite 1.37 yards per outrun. 

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But Robinson shows a rare 
ability to combine strong 

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rushing and receiving efficiency
and maintain both on elite 

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volume. 
Oh, and Robinson is a force of 

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nature at the goal line. 
He totals 14 touchdowns on 41 

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Green Zone opportunities. 
When the Falcons are in close, 

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Robinson is their first thought,
and usually their second. 

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Robinson really begins to hit 
his stride when the Falcons 

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travel to New York in Week 13, 
taking on a Jets team that is 

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actually frisky, if 
inconsistent. 

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The Falcons lean on Robinson in 
a back and forth game. 

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Pennex 2 has begun to see 
getting Robinson going is 

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essential to his success and 
feeds the superstar running 

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back. 
With 10 targets, Robinson goes 8

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for 72 and one through the air, 
signaling a stronger receiving 

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roll down the stretch. 
The Falcons also begin opening 

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up the offense a bit more as the
season progresses. 

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This actually creates fewer 
rushing attempts per game for 

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Robinson, but his receiving 
versatility makes his slightly 

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altered role in the offense even
more valuable for fantasy. 

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By the time the Falcons host the
Rams in Week 17, Robinson's 

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status is a true 3 down back has
already been cemented, but he 

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silences any remaining doubt. 
With A7 for 65 and 1 receiving 

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line on top of a 19 for 118 and 
two rushing line. 

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He turns in a career high 37.3 
PPR points successfully 

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concluding his legendary third 
year. 

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All in all, Robinson totals 
21171 yards and 19 touchdowns on

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298 attempts and 77 receptions. 
His 24 PPR points per game 

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easily pay off his one O 2 ADP. 
In retrospect, no one can really

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articulate why Robinson wasn't 
the clear cut one O 1 silent 

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killer scenario during the 
Falcons Week 4 By Raheem Morris 

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and Zach Robinson have a long 
meeting putting their heads 

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together on how to turn around a
season that is already on the 

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verge underdogs. 
In all four of their opening 

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games, the Falcons are one in 
three. 

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They eked out a win in Carolina,
but lost in Minnesota and 

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dropped home games to the 
Buccaneers and Commanders. 

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On tap next the Bills and 49ers.
The meeting goes well enough, 

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but the next two weeks do not. 
Both the Bills and 49ers carved 

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through the weak Atlanta 
defense, forcing Michael Pennex 

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to drop back frequently in 
obvious passing situations. 

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Bijan Robinson is getting fed. 
At least the Falcons are 

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determined not to expose Pennex 
to opposing pass rushes in 

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negative script. 
They're willing to sacrifice win

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percentage for the long term 
plan. 

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Robinson averages 18 carries per
game, setting a new career high 

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with 306 carries. 
But Robinson's efficiency is a 

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bummer. 
The Falcons are extremely 

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predictable. 
They're going to run the ball 

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for as long as they can get away
with it, with a passing game 

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very much a secondary option. 
Bizarrely, they don't 

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incorporate fake runs, turning 
in the lowest play action rate 

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in the league for the second 
straight year. 

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What you see is what you get 
with the Falcons. 

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Defensive coordinators lick 
their chops when they see the 

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Falcons on the schedule, running
behind a middling offensive line

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and into the teeth of the 
defense. 

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Robinson drops from his career 
mark of 4.7 yards per carry to 

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just 4.2. 
In Week 8, the Falcons notched 

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their second win of the season 
at home against Miami. 

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This kicks off A7 game win 
streak with wins over the 

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Dolphins, Patriots, Colts, 
Panthers, Saints, Jets, and 

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Seahawks. 
The now eight and five Falcons 

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are one of the hottest teams in 
football and Bijan Robinson is 

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starting to come alive. 
He's now up to 270 touches for 

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the season with 12129 yards from
scrimmage and 9 total touchdowns

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through 13 games, averaging 16.6
PPR points per game. 

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He's turned around a season that
looked potentially disastrous in

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the early weeks. 
Robinson's playoff bound fantasy

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managers are cautiously 
optimistic, but the weekly 

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preview Industrial complex 
plants its flag. 

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The Falcons are schedule 
merchants, traveling to Tampa 

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Bay in Week 15. 
They faced their first real test

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since their blowout loss to the 
49ers in Week 7. 

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The match up Bros get it right 
this time. 

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Playing from behind for most of 
the game, the Falcons revert to 

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their early season form. 
Robinson is held to 72 scoreless

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yards on 16 touches. 
Things don't get much better in 

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Week 16. 
The Falcons lose a close game to

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the Cardinals, with Robinson 
seeing 22 touches and turning in

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98 yards. 
He's held out of the end zone 

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yet again in Week 17. 
The Rams take control of the 

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game right away, limiting 
Robinson to 16 carries for 67 

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yards. 
Fortunately, he adds 3 

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receptions for 19 yards, but for
the third straight week fails to

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score. 
With PPR scores of nine point 

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110.8 and 11.6 in weeks 15 
through 17, Robinson is a 

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fantasy playoff albatross, and 
with 14.9 PPR points on the 

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season, his RB180P looks wildly 
optimistic in retrospect. 

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James Conner, 55 picks cheaper 
in summer drafts, easily 

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outscores him. 
Robinson falls to the late 

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second round of the Big Board, 
which launches promptly at kick 

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off of Week 18 on New Year's 
Day. 

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This price quickly corrects as 
drafters regain confidence in 

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Robinson's talent. 
It also helps that new head 

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coach John Morton talks up 
Robinson as his new Jameer Gibbs

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and promises to implement the 
same play action attack that 

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brought Detroit its first Super 
Bowl. 

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How to play it in the Futures 
above, Robinson actually sees 

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more rushing attempts in his 
silent killer scenario. 

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Even if he disappoints this 
year, he's still very likely to 

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see an awesome workload. 
But I have three big questions 

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with Robinson. 
One, what is his receiving role 

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look like? 
2, Can he deliver more explosive

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place? 
Three, Can the offense support 

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an elite touchdown season on 
Question 1? 

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Robinson hasn't been all that 
impressive as a receiver in the 

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NFL. 
As a rookie, he turned in 1.16 

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yards per outrun among running 
backs with 125 plus carries. 

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That was running back 17. 
In 2024, he was slightly worse 

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with 1.11 yards per outrun. 
Again, running back 17 in ESP NS

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receiver rating. 
He finished running back 36 as a

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rookie, but improved to running 
back seven last year. 

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Over the last two years 
combined, he ranks running back 

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18, so although I think Robinson
isn't a bad receiver, it's hard 

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to see him taking a huge step in
receiving production this year 

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unless the Falcons pass the ball
significantly more when Question

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2. 
Robinson was an impressive 

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breakaway runner in college, but
his superpower was tackle 

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breaking. 
Since entering the NFL, he has a

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20% breakaway percentage, which 
is pretty weak. 

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He ranked running back 20 as a 
rookie with a 25% breakaway 

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rate, but then fell to running 
back 30 of 36 qualifying running

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backs last year with a 17% mark.
This is where running behind an 

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elite line or being attached to 
an elite passing game would 

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really help. 
I think Robinson could be more 

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explosive in the right 
environment. 

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I'm not sure this is that 
environment one. 

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Question 3. 
Robinson turned in 15 total 

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touchdowns last year, but he'll 
likely need closer to 20 to 

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deliver a legendary season. 
This looks like a pretty big 

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lift unless Michael Pennix is 
immediately an above average 

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starter in Best Ball. 
I've been breaking ties against 

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Robinson at a decent rate, but 
I'm still at 5% so far. 8% is 

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even with the field and I'm 
comfortable with that. 

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That's the nice thing about a 
portfolio based game like Best 

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Ball. 
You never have to come out and 

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say you're fading the RB 1. 
You just say you're underweight,

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but in redraft, we need to make 
decisions. 

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If you're sitting at one O 2, 
are you taking Robinson or are 

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you not? 
There's no hedging. 

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And when it comes right down to 
it, Robinson is not my RV one 

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this year. 
Not only that, I would also take

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both Jamar Chase and CD Lamb 
ahead of them. 

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In tight end premium, I'd take 
Brock Bowers ahead of them. 

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And I put my money where my 
mouth is on that to a level that

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is probably inadvisable. 
If Robinson were to fall to 1:05

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in APPR league, I would take him
there. 

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I'm not completely out, but 
regrettably I am going to be 

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underweight. 
Sorry. 

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Fading Robinson this year. 
Manage league recommendation. 

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Fade Jameer Gibbs legendary 
scenario. 

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On November 2nd, the Lions host 
the Minnesota Vikings at Ford 

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Field. 
It's the first of two meetings 

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between the division rivals. 
The Lions are unfortunate not to

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have faced the Vikings earlier 
in the year when JJ McCarthy had

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some genuine growing pains. 
But the first year starter has 

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now emerged as a solid 
quarterback, clicking with an 

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elite receiving core and 
supported by a functional run 

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game. 
The good news is that the Lions 

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have had two weeks to prepare 
for Brian Flores blitz packages 

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and are fresh off their Week 8 
by Jameer Gibbs is essential to 

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this plan as a hot read outlet 
screen game weapon, an explosive

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rushing threat. 
To this point in the season, 

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Gibbs has been very impressive. 
He's a bigger piece of the 

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average game plan than a 2024 
and a consistent receiving 

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threat, but he's yet to have a 
game that really puts a stamp on

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the 2025 season as being about 
Jameer Gibbs. 

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In the first week of the back 
half of the season, it becomes 

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very clear who the right answer 
was. 

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In summer drafts, Gibbs rushes 
19 times for 134 yards and two 

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touchdowns, scoring once from 2 
yards in and once from 30 yards 

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out. 
He adds A7 for 57 and 1 

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receiving line on 9 targets. 
The Lions win a 30 to 24 

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shootout, leaving the Vikings 
and Gibbs fantasy managers eager

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for a rematch. 
In the intervening weeks, 

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Gibbs's fantasy production 
shifts from being a strong 

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showing for a top pick to a 
truly rare campaign. 

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Even by league winning 
standards, the Lions offensive 

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line isn't quite as strong as it
was in 2024, but it's still 

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easily a top 10 unit, and Gibbs 
isn't a chunk yardage thumper. 

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When he gets the blocking he 
needs, he makes defenses pay, 

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like in 2024 when he posted 25 
runs of 15 plus yards, tying 

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with Derek Henry and Saquon 
Barkley. 

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Despite seeing 75 fewer carries 
than Henry and 95 fewer than 

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Barkley. 
Gibbs is extremely explosive. 

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He rips off 27 breakaway runs, 
scoring eight of his 21 total 

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touchdowns from outside the 
Green Zone. 

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Gibbs is truly a scoring threat 
any time he touches the ball. 

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This includes Gibbs being a 
threat at the goal line. 

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The Lions don't feature Gibbs in
short yardage. 

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Montgomery retains a significant
role there, but Gibbs is 

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reliable as well as explosive, 
and he splits goal line work on 

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an extremely proficient offense.
He punches in 11 rushing 

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touchdowns from within the 10. 
Gibbs reliability as a runner 

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translates directly to more 
receiving opportunities. 

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John Morton tweaks the Lions 
offense, but he doesn't change 

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the emphasis on play action. 
Like in 2024, the Lions lead the

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NFL in play action rate, 
utilizing it on over a third of 

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their passes. 
Gibbs sees a much bigger chunk 

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00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,520
of these plays than in 2024, 
displacing Montgomery, who led 

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the NFL in 2024 with 25 play 
action receptions. 

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00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,640
Gibbs's ability to deliver on 
power run concepts allows the 

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Lions to keep him on the field 
for fake versions of those 

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plays. 
He scores 2 touchdowns on goal 

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00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,360
line play action passes and 
finishes RB-1 with 28 play 

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00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:21,880
action receptions, the most by 
running back since Austin Eckler

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00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,960
also had 28 in 2022. 
Gibbs's receiving production is 

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00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,920
also boosted by more overall 
drop back volume under Morton. 

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00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,120
The Lions retain their 
philosophical DNA, but they 

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operate more like the 2023 Lions
who had 646 drop backs than the 

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00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,920
2024 Lions who are only at 600. 
With Detroit dropping back 640 

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times, Gibbs is able to rack up 
96 targets for an 82 for 739 and

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4 receiving line. 
He's also extremely efficient in

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the receiving game with 1.78 
yards per outrun. 

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00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:03,120
It's only a slight improvement 
on 2024's 1.69 mark, but still 

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strong enough for RB-1 in 2025. 
Gibbs ends the season with 25.5 

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PPR points per game, the most by
running back since Christian 

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00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:18,680
McCaffrey had 29.3 in 2019. 
He joins McCaffrey, Alvin 

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00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:23,400
Kamara, Todd Gurley, David 
Johnson, Le'veon Bell and Jamal 

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00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:28,600
Charles is the only back since 
2010 to average 25 plus PPR 

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00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,920
points per game. 
And so, heading into the Lions 

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Week 17 rematch with the 
Vikings, Gibbs is already seen 

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as the story of the 2025 season 
and the obvious one O 1 in 2026.

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But that's not enough. 
Gibbs also steals Christmas. 

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The DFS discourse around the 
three-game Christmas slate is 

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dominated by helpful reminders 
that Gibbs will be playing in a 

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Dome. 
I think I'm going to eat the 

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chalk here and use a contrarian 
stack to get different. 

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So tough to see him failing in 
the Dome. 

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00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:04,320
And hey, sometimes the touts get
it right because the roof 

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00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,320
overhead doesn't stop Gibbs from
icing the Vikings playoff hopes.

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00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,000
With 12 minutes left in the 
second quarter, he runs off 

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00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,400
tackle to the right side, 
hitting 22 miles an hour in the 

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00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,760
blink of an eye. 
The 57 yard touchdown puts the 

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00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,560
Lions up by 10. 
Surprisingly, Gibbs doesn't 

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dominate as a receiver. 
He records 5 receptions, in line

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00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:31,560
with his 4.8 per game average, 
but totals just 25 scoreless 

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yards. 
But in position to clinch their 

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third straight NFC North title, 
the Lions don't mess around on 

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the ground. 
Gibbs is the feature back for 

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00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,480
this one. 
He ties his career high with 26 

364
00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,560
rushing attempts for 195 yards 
and three touchdowns. 

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00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,280
His fantasy managers are gifted 
45 PPR points. 

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00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:56,160
Somehow not a career high to 
kick off Championship week. 

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00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,520
Merry Christmas. 
Silent killer scenario. 

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00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,600
The Lions roll into Green Bay in
Week 1 and hand the Packers a 20

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00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,720
to 17 loss. 
John Morton hands the fantasy 

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00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,720
community a fell for it Again 
award with a heavy dose of David

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00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,720
Montgomery in positive script. 
Do Montgomery and Gibbs play in 

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the backfield together as Morton
teased in the spring? 

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Not once. 
It now starts to feel ominous 

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00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,920
that Morton has been comparing 
Gibbs to Saints era Reggie Bush,

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00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,960
who peaked at just 154 attempts.
Gibbs easily bests that, but 

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with 238 attempts he still posts
12 fewer than in 2024. 

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00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,080
Morton's backfield deployment is
frustrating, but that's the 

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00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,920
least of it. 
Ben Johnson took a lot of the 

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00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,400
Lions magic with him to Chicago,
with Detroit looking more 

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00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,840
vanilla and much less efficient 
under Morton. 

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00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,880
In fairness to Morton, part of 
the issue lies with the Lions 

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00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,200
offensive line, which takes a 
big step back from 2024. 

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00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,480
It's not bad, but far from a 
difference making unit. 

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00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:05,360
Gibbs is able to hit 1095 yards 
in 17 games, but is far less 

385
00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:08,160
explosive, having to deal with 
defenders on him much more 

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00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,120
quickly than he'd become 
accustomed to. 

387
00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:14,680
He averages just 4.6 yards per 
carry, down from a 5.5 career 

388
00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,880
mark. 
Morton's offseason pressors 

389
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,600
weren't entirely misleading. 
He was dead serious about 

390
00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,360
getting Jameson Williams and Sam
Laporta more involved. 

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00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,760
Isaac Tesla also has a 
surprisingly high target share 

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down the stretch. 
Morton is intent on attacking 

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00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,560
more downfield, which eats into 
Gibbs's underneath targets. 

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00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,880
After a back-to-back seasons of 
52 receptions, he falls to 44. 

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00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,840
Gibbs's fantasy managers watch 
in disbelief as he's outscored 

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00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,600
by Jordan Mason in Week 17. 
Mason, now operating as the 

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00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:51,440
Vikings starter, rushes 23 times
for 113 yards in a score with A2

398
00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,880
for 12 receiving line for 20.5 
PPR points. 

399
00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,480
Gibbs also gets in the end zone 
for his 13th total touchdown on 

400
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,160
the season, but sees just 12 
carries for 55 yards, going 3 

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00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:08,240
for 29 and one as a receiver. 
His 17.4 PPR points are nice to 

402
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,400
have, but not exactly a hammer 
at an early first round price 

403
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,000
tag. 
For the season, Gibbs averages 

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00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,280
just 15.1 PPR points per game, 
matching James Cook. 

405
00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,840
How to play it? 
Hypothetically, let's say you 

406
00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,760
were the Lions passing game 
coordinator for the last two 

407
00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,760
seasons. 
You are as much an expert on the

408
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,560
Lions passing game as anyone, 
but it's not your offense. 

409
00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,280
You don't create the game plans.
You don't call the place. 

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00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:41,120
At least you didn't. 
But in 2025, you new Lions 

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00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:44,160
offense coordinator John Morton,
are running the show. 

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00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,720
If you, John, now have the 
chance to run the Lions offense,

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00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:53,000
what tweaks would you make? 
I for one would use Jameer Gibbs

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00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,360
more. 
Judging from his quotes this 

415
00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:58,480
offseason, John seems to be on 
the same page. 

416
00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,360
In May, he compared Gibbs to 
Reggie Bush, praising his 

417
00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:04,320
explosiveness and his floated 
ideas for getting Gibbs on the 

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00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,640
field more often. 
It's hard not to feel like John 

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00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,600
Morton is on the same page as 
the fantasy community here, and 

420
00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,520
I have the One of Us GIF from 
Wolf of Wall Street to 

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00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,000
communicate that. 
What's crazy to me about the 

422
00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,960
Gibbs discourse is that we kind 
of act like he didn't just 

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00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,640
average 21.4 PPR points Last 
year. 

424
00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:28,600
Saquon Barkley averaged 21.9. 
This dude was damn close to 

425
00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,680
Barkley last season despite 
splitting work. 

426
00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,280
I don't know for sure if Gibbs 
is actually going to see 

427
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,800
significantly more work with 
Montgomery in the lineup, but I 

428
00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:44,040
know that if he does, we don't 
need to stop dreaming At 23 

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00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:50,200
points per game, we can dream on
2425 26 points per game. 

430
00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,920
The dude is a superstar. 
He's on a very efficient 

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00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,880
offense, runs behind a good 
offensive line, is already 

432
00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:01,800
producing very close to a 
legendary level, and everyone 

433
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,440
agrees has significant room to 
the upside in terms of his 

434
00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,120
workload. 
The main disagreement is whether

435
00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:12,880
he can access that upside with 
Montgomery healthy or if he's 

436
00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,440
fantasy's most expensive 
contingent running back. 

437
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,160
Put Me Down is someone who 
thinks Montgomery can turn in 

438
00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,520
the healthiest season of his 
entire freaking life and still 

439
00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,720
see his workload curtailed 
significantly. 

440
00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:29,240
Montgomery is a good back, but 
he's not Gibbs, and some of 

441
00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,560
Montgomery's 2024 role, 
particularly his play action 

442
00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,240
targets, are obvious 
opportunities to generate 

443
00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,520
explosive plays. 
With this one simple trick, Put 

444
00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,520
Gibbs on the field. 
After the rushing performance 

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00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,200
that Gibbs turned into close 
last season, there is simply no 

446
00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,720
reason to continue using 
Montgomery at the same rate in 

447
00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,480
traditional rushing situations. 
The only reason to do that would

448
00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,880
be stubbornness, but Morton 
doesn't have to double down to 

449
00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,240
protect his ego here. 
Not playing Gibbs enough can be 

450
00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,360
Ben Johnson's dumb idea. 
Morton gets to unleash the 

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00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:05,960
superstar and take credit for 
the radical strategy of playing 

452
00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,520
his best running back. 
It's a no brainer and from 

453
00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,640
everything I've gathered, Morton
seems to have a brain in best 

454
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,520
ball. 
I've been mixing up my bets at 

455
00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,040
the top of drafts, but I've made
a deal with myself. 

456
00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,880
I am not going to end up 
underweight on Jamir Gibbs in 

457
00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,000
redraft. 
He's a clear cut target. 

458
00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,400
We took him at the One O 3 in 
our ADP chasing main event. 

459
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:32,160
Manage league recommendation 
priority target Saquon Barkley. 

460
00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:36,480
Legendary scenario. 
The Eagles kick off the NFL 

461
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,480
season with a very on brand 
performance against the Cowboys 

462
00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,680
defense that isn't much better 
against the run than it was in 

463
00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,960
2024. 
Saquon Barkley rushes 18 times 

464
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,920
for 125 yards, adding one 
reception for 9 yards. 

465
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,080
It's an impressive real life 
performance, but not a great 

466
00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,120
fantasy outing. 
Will Shipley mixes in for some 

467
00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,160
low value runs, keeping Barkley 
fresh. 

468
00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,880
He also steals 2 receptions. 
More importantly, all the 

469
00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,440
touchdowns flow through Jalen 
Hurts, who hits Dallas Goddard 

470
00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,400
for a screen pass touchdown, 
A.J. 

471
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,680
Brown for a 35 yard bomb, and 
brotherly shoves for two more 

472
00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,320
scores. 
The following week, the Eagles 

473
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,600
travel to Kansas City for the 
Super Bowl rematch. 

474
00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:22,760
Saquon finds a defensive game 
plan waiting for him that can 

475
00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,720
best be described as anyone but 
Barkley. 

476
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,320
The Chiefs are also clicking on 
offense, with Rashi Rice still 

477
00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,960
awaiting his hearing and Xavier 
Worthy having fully evolved. 

478
00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,280
The Chiefs get their Week 2 
revenge, winning 27 to 24 on a 

479
00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,200
last second field goal. 
Barkley is mostly stymied, 

480
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,600
rushing 21 times for 90 
scoreless yards with two 

481
00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:48,240
receptions for 11 yards. 
Bleary eyed from blue light 

482
00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,280
spreadsheet virgins can't 
believe their eyes. 

483
00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,920
Barkley's two down profile is 
finally the limiting factor. 

484
00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:59,200
Was always destined to be. 2024 
was just the exception that 

485
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:05,960
proves the rule never wrong. 
Just early pre week 3V laps turn

486
00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,240
to ashes in streamers mouths as 
Barkley gouges the Rams 

487
00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:12,120
vulnerable run defense for 200 
rushing yards. 

488
00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,160
It's 30 less than he averaged 
against them in 2024, but still 

489
00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,840
pretty good. 
He also breaks his touchdown 

490
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,880
drought running for a 37 yard 
touchdown in the first quarter 

491
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,440
and closes out of victory with a
48 yard fourth quarter clincher.

492
00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,360
Barkley turns in just a six yard
catch in the passing game, but 

493
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,960
for some reason that's not the 
narrative headed into Week 4. 

494
00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,080
Receiving driven concerns look 
even sillier as the season 

495
00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,400
progresses. 
His new offensive coordinator, 

496
00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,560
Kevin Pitullo, proves to be 
significantly more aggressive 

497
00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,960
than Kellen Moore. 
Under Pitullo, the Eagles 

498
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,800
dropped back 590 times, roughly 
in between where they were in 

499
00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:55,680
2023 at 653 and 2024 when they 
had just 540. 

500
00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,920
The added drop backs helped 
Barkley total 46 receptions for 

501
00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:04,000
399 yards and three touchdowns 
through the air, a meaningful 

502
00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:09,320
improvement on 2024's receiving 
line of 33 for 278 and 2. 

503
00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,880
Barkley isn't super consistent 
as a target earner, but he hits 

504
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:18,000
5 plus targets in six games. 
It's a reminder that as long as 

505
00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,280
the Eagles pass the ball, a 
superstar running back who 

506
00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:26,280
averaged 7.6 targets per game as
a rookie isn't just A2 down bet.

507
00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:31,480
Barkley peaks with 7 targets at 
the perfect time, A Week 17 

508
00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,840
shootout with the Bills. 
Saquon goes 6 for 53 and 1 as a 

509
00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,040
receiver. 
Barkley also runs 29 times for 

510
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,760
191 yards, and you're never 
going to believe this, but it's 

511
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,680
true. 
Punches in a goal line 

512
00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:49,360
touchdown. 
His 42.4 PPR points cement one 

513
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,480
of the best two year runs in 
fantasy history. 

514
00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:56,680
It takes him 17 games instead of
16 this time, but Berkeley turns

515
00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:01,280
in another 2000 yard rushing 
campaign with 2006 yards. 

516
00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:08,120
He also totals 2412 yards and 20
touchdowns from scrimmage in 

517
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,760
hitting 23.9 PPR points per 
game. 

518
00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:15,600
He bests his outstanding 2024 
season when he had 21.9 points 

519
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,120
and falls just shy of his rookie
year peak at 24. 

520
00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:23,440
Somehow, not the 101. 
After a dominant 2024 season, 

521
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,520
Barkley makes the Faders pay 
again. 

522
00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,400
Silent killer scenario. 
Don't tell the Philadelphia 

523
00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:33,840
Eagles that they are the 
defending Super Bowl champs. 

524
00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:36,200
This is a new season. 
Everyone is 0 and 0. 

525
00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:37,760
Nothing can be taken for 
granted. 

526
00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,800
Everything must be earned. 
But as much as they publicly say

527
00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,720
otherwise, the Eagles coaching 
staff understands the lofty 

528
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,920
expectations everyone has for 
this team. 

529
00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:51,000
And those expectations are far 
less likely to be met without a 

530
00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,920
healthy playoff run from Saquon 
Barkley. 

531
00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,600
Ahead of Week 1, Nick Siriani 
and Kevin Petullo review an 

532
00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:03,400
offensive game plan that is both
built around the run, but also 

533
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,160
with an understanding that they 
have a long season ahead of 

534
00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:09,000
them. 
They need a big season from 

535
00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,920
Saquon, but don't need him to 
average over 22 touches per game

536
00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:15,480
again, or at least not every 
week. 

537
00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,960
In their home opener against the
Cowboys, the Eagles can't help 

538
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,320
themselves. 
Barkley carries the ball 21 

539
00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:25,880
times, pacing for more than the 
345 carries he handled in 2024. 

540
00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,560
Behind the Eagles elite 
offensive line. 

541
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:33,040
He rushes for 115 yards and a 
touchdown, adding one catch for 

542
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,520
9 yards. 
But as the season wears on, the 

543
00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,840
Eagles find ways to pick their 
spots with Barkley in two 

544
00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,880
blowout wins over the Giants in 
week six and eight. 

545
00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,600
They play Will Shipley for much 
of the second-half, and Shipley 

546
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:50,040
is impressive enough that 
following their Week 9 by, he 

547
00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,880
begins to mix in more. 
Originally just a means to keep 

548
00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,560
Barkley fresh, Shipley begins to
flash play making skills of his 

549
00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:01,160
own, particularly as a receiver.
With Shipley eating into an 

550
00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,240
already meager receiving 
workload, Barkley falls from 

551
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:09,400
averaging 2.1 receptions per 
game in 2024 to just 1.6. 

552
00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:15,080
He finishes with just a 27 for 
216 and 1 receiving line on the 

553
00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,880
season. 
Barkley's lack of receptions 

554
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,920
wouldn't be an issue if he was 
still housing touchdowns from 

555
00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,760
distance on a regular basis, but
after 2024 regular season in 

556
00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:29,680
which he scored 11 touchdowns 
from 10 plus yards out, Barkley 

557
00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:33,200
manages just four such scores in
2025. 

558
00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,720
By normal running back 
standards, he still runs pretty 

559
00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,360
hot here, just not as hot as the
sun. 

560
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,800
Barkley's ability to get in the 
end zone now rest far more on 

561
00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,040
his goal line opportunities, but
the Eagles aren't quite as 

562
00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,000
dominant as they were in 2024, 
and the tush push is alive and 

563
00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,240
well. 
His opportunities inside the 10 

564
00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,320
actually fall slightly from 
2024. 

565
00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:58,920
Barkley scores 6 Green Zone 
touchdowns, totaling 10 

566
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,920
touchdowns on the season. 
Thankfully, Berkeley has one of 

567
00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,960
his best games of the season in 
Week 16 as the Eagles fight for 

568
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:09,520
a division title. 
He turns 26 attempts into 156 

569
00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,920
yards and a touchdown, adding a 
three reception for 30 yard 

570
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:16,639
receiving line for 27.6 PPR 
points. 

571
00:34:17,159 --> 00:34:20,280
But the following week, the 
Eagles shift toward the passing 

572
00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,199
game against the Bills, which by
this point means using Will 

573
00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:25,760
Shipley in a Justice Hill style 
role. 

574
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,880
Barkley is efficient on his 
carries but only sees 17 of 

575
00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,920
them. 
He runs for 110 scoreless yards 

576
00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:38,239
and fails to record a reception.
The Eagles plan to keep Barkley 

577
00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:41,159
fresh for the playoffs is only 
partially successful. 

578
00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:46,320
He still totals 306 attempts in 
2025, more than Bijan Robinson 

579
00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:52,560
who had 304 and Josh Jacobs who 
had 301 saw in 17 games in 2024.

580
00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,600
But the Eagles still shave off 
45 touches from Barclays 2024 

581
00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,360
workload while also playing him 
for one more game. 

582
00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:05,200
After single handedly winning 
leagues in 2024, Barkley barely 

583
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:10,280
outscores Chuba Hubbard in 2025,
averaging 14.8 PPR points per 

584
00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,560
game. 
How to play it? 

585
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:16,520
Saquon Barkley opened the summer
as the one O 2 in best ball 

586
00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,160
leagues. 
He's since fallen a bit and in 

587
00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:23,200
the main event he's down to one 
O 6 behind Jamar Chase, Bijan 

588
00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,040
Robinson, CD Lamb and Brock 
Bowers. 

589
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,080
It's tight end premium. 
People forget at this new price 

590
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,440
it's much harder to make the 
case against him. 

591
00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,880
Let me try though. 
Berkeley was crazy reliant on 

592
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:40,480
big plays last year. 
I love efficient, also known as 

593
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,520
good players, but at a certain 
point negative regression 

594
00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:48,000
becomes a concern. 
Barkley scored 18 rushing 

595
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,000
touchdowns last season, 
including the playoffs. 

596
00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,040
So far so good. 
But twelve of those touchdowns, 

597
00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:59,080
2/3 were from 10 plus yards out.
10 of 18 were from 20 plus yards

598
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,000
out, including the playoffs. 
How many rushing touchdowns do 

599
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:06,320
you think Saquon Barkley scored 
from 60 plus yards out last 

600
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:08,680
year? 
Did you say 7? 

601
00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,560
Because it was 7. 
Normally we might say something 

602
00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,360
like, well, yeah, OK, but So 
what? 

603
00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,800
Because if he gets tackled on 
the one a couple more times, 

604
00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:19,360
he's still going to punch in 
that touchdown. 

605
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,160
Except that's not really true 
here, is it? 

606
00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:26,800
Jalen Hurts rushed for 19 
rushing touchdowns. 14 were 

607
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,000
within 5 yards of the goal line.
17 were within 10 yards. 

608
00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:33,600
The tush push is a real problem 
for Barclays touchdown 

609
00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:37,480
production going forward. 
Unless he continues to play out 

610
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,400
of his freaking mind. 
But honestly, it's hard not to 

611
00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,920
feel like that is what is going 
to happen. 

612
00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,520
The biggest thing I got wrong 
about Barclay last year is that 

613
00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:50,960
I doubted his talent. 
I knew that he had been elite, 

614
00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:55,080
but at 27 years old, was he 
really elite anymore? 

615
00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,840
Yeah, buddy, he's elite. 
Barclay has now thoroughly 

616
00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:00,840
proven that he remains in his 
prime. 

617
00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:03,800
Ended behind literally the best 
offensive line in the league. 

618
00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:07,080
He's also attached to a passing 
game that's not only efficient 

619
00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:10,840
but explosive. 
It's a passing game perfectly 

620
00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,480
suited to punish defenses for 
paying too much attention to 

621
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:18,000
Barkley. 
The Eagles put teams in a no win

622
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:22,440
situation. 
Honestly I kind of wish Barkley 

623
00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:25,720
was still going one O 2. 
Then I could be a real hard O 

624
00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:28,520
about this and say he's a great 
player but sadly just too 

625
00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:30,960
expensive. 
We simply must fade the guy who 

626
00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,600
ate our lunch last year. 
And in bestball, that is really 

627
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:36,240
how I was playing it to an 
extent. 

628
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,720
I'm currently at 5% Barclay 
because I've been prioritizing 

629
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:41,840
the 2 running backs and Lamb 
ahead of them. 

630
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,520
But once Chase, Robinson, Lamb 
and Gibbs are off the board, 

631
00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:49,440
we're talking about players with
at least a little bit of 

632
00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:52,160
concern. 
I do slightly prefer Justin 

633
00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,440
Jefferson. 
Always nice to draft the best 

634
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,200
wide receiver in football, but 
Jefferson is playing with a 

635
00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,720
first time starter quarterback 
and has been dealing with 

636
00:37:59,720 --> 00:38:02,280
hamstring injury. 
I think it'll all work out, but 

637
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:05,360
he's not bulletproof this year. 
And then the next running back 

638
00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:08,760
off the board after Barkley 
literally missed almost all of 

639
00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:10,680
last year with multiple leg 
injuries. 

640
00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,880
But we can't take the defending 
rushing champ because he scores 

641
00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:17,840
from too far away. 
There's an old saying in 

642
00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,280
Tennessee, I know it's in Texas,
probably in Tennessee that says,

643
00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:22,560
fool me once, shame on shame on 
you. 

644
00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:25,160
Fool me. 
You can't get fooled again. 

645
00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:30,320
Manage league recommendation. 
Capitulate at 1:05 or later. 

646
00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:36,000
Christian McCaffrey Legendary 
scenario After years of 

647
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:39,040
promising to ease back on 
Christian Mccaffrey's workload, 

648
00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:42,560
Kyle Shanahan was forced to 
operate entirely without 

649
00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:46,320
McCaffrey for most of 2024. 
It was a lost season for the 

650
00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,200
49ers and a lesson that Shanahan
took to heart. 

651
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,000
The lesson, of course, is that 
McCaffrey is too critical to 

652
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,120
risk tasking with huge 
workloads. 

653
00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:57,800
The 49ers trade for Brian 
Robinson wasn't just a depth 

654
00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,840
move. 
Shanahan has finally gotten 

655
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,600
serious about reducing 
Mccaffrey's workload and keeping

656
00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,400
him fresh. 
Just kidding. 

657
00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:07,400
Shanahan pretends to have 
changed his ways for a couple of

658
00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:09,480
weeks, but his heart isn't in 
it. 

659
00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:14,120
Because Shanahan's actual take 
away from 2024 is that he is a 

660
00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:17,800
lot happier when Christian 
McCaffrey is on the field. 

661
00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:21,880
Wondering if he'll even be alive
by the time a McCaffrey injury 

662
00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:25,080
occurs, Shanahan decides to live
for the moment. 

663
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,480
McCaffrey finishes with 21.1 
touches per game, virtually 

664
00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:34,320
identical to 2023 when he had 
21.2 as Field Goal Rd. 

665
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:36,640
favorites. 
In Week 1, the 49ers beat the 

666
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:41,160
Seahawks 24 to 16 and then as 
Big Rd. favorites dominate in 

667
00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:45,320
New Orleans 34 to 13. 
McCaffrey totals 4 touchdowns on

668
00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:48,200
the road trip. 
Following this start, the 49ers 

669
00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:52,240
are a favorite in every single 
game in the 2025 season. 

670
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,440
They are ultimately favored by 6
plus in half of their regular 

671
00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:59,360
season games. 
This creates a ton of positive 

672
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,480
game script for McCaffrey, who 
totals 21 touchdowns for the 

673
00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:06,320
second time in three seasons, 
rushing for 15 and putting up 

674
00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:10,080
six more through the air. 
But Mccaffrey's role does shift 

675
00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,520
slightly in 2025 compared to 
2023. 

676
00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,480
With Debo Samuel no longer 
available as a weapon out of the

677
00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,280
backfield and Brennan Nyuk 
taking a while to ramp back up, 

678
00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:23,880
Shanahan is keen to utilize 
McCaffrey as a receiver even 

679
00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:27,800
more than two years ago. 
McCaffrey is also helped by a 

680
00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:32,080
career year from Brock Purdy. 
Purdy marries 2023's efficiency 

681
00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:36,120
with 2024's playmaking ability 
and emerges as a quarterback 

682
00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:39,680
that deserves to be featured 
even in positive game script. 

683
00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:45,320
As a result, the 49ers drop back
580 * 26 more than in 2023, 

684
00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:48,560
though still 45 fewer than in 
2024. 

685
00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:53,360
McCaffrey is more of a receiving
priority on a team with more 

686
00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:57,040
drop backs than in 2023, which 
means more targets for the 

687
00:40:57,040 --> 00:40:59,880
superstar running back. 
For the fifth time in his 

688
00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:02,520
career, McCaffrey sees 100 plus 
targets. 

689
00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:07,040
He finishes with an 87 reception
for 714 yards, 6 touchdown 

690
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:12,640
receiving line on 102 targets. 
In week 17, he caps a glorious 

691
00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:15,680
return to form with a dominant 
outing in front of the home 

692
00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:20,960
crowd, turning in an 18 carry 
111 yard, 3 touchdown rushing 

693
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:25,800
line with six for 50 through the
air as McCaffrey punches in his 

694
00:41:25,800 --> 00:41:29,480
third touchdown of the day on a 
beautifully executed inside zone

695
00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:33,120
run. 
Ben Johnson, literally down 23, 

696
00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:37,440
looks directly at DeAndre Swift.
You can see the pain in his eyes

697
00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:40,840
from space. 
The Bears then hand off 3 times 

698
00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:45,880
to Kyle Minungai before punting 
with 24.7 PPR points per game. 

699
00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:49,840
McCaffrey sets a new 49ers 
career high and turns in his 

700
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,760
fifth legendary season. 
Ironically, despite a league 

701
00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:56,280
winning season driven by elite 
receiving production, 

702
00:41:56,520 --> 00:41:59,880
Mccaffrey's 1.54 yards per 
outrun is the second lowest of 

703
00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:02,400
his career. 
This becomes a talking point in 

704
00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:06,640
the 2026 offseason as hand 
wringing weenies wonder aloud if

705
00:42:06,640 --> 00:42:09,720
the greatest fantasy running 
back of all time is too risky 

706
00:42:09,720 --> 00:42:13,120
for the 101. 
His 2025 fantasy managers have 

707
00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,160
no such doubts. 
McCaffrey is a legend. 

708
00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:20,880
Silent killer scenario. 
Kyle Shanahan hasn't changed. 

709
00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:23,760
If you give him a superstar 
running back, he's going to play

710
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,920
the hell out of him. 
The problem is, Christian 

711
00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:29,480
McCaffrey has changed. 
McCaffrey remains a remarkably 

712
00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:33,640
effective receiver out of the 
backfield, but as a runner he's 

713
00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:37,760
clearly lost a step after 
missing most of 2024 to injury. 

714
00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:42,360
Averaging just 4.1 yards per 
carry through the 1st 3 weeks, 

715
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:45,680
McCaffrey is expected to find 
his footing in week four against

716
00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:48,360
Jacksonville. 
But on a healthy workload of 18 

717
00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:51,680
carries, he manages just 63 
scoreless yards. 

718
00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:55,240
He saved his fantasy day with 
three receptions for 25 yards 

719
00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:58,080
and a touchdown. 
As the season progresses, 

720
00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,560
McCaffrey begins to pop up on 
the injury report with limited 

721
00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:04,240
practices. 
It's nothing big, just the wear 

722
00:43:04,240 --> 00:43:06,720
and tear of the season, but 
Shanahan still suffers. 

723
00:43:06,720 --> 00:43:10,960
Flashbacks to 2024. 
Brian Robinson begins to mix in 

724
00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:14,720
more to keep McCaffrey fresh. 
Robinson isn't any more 

725
00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:17,240
explosive than McCaffrey, but he
helps ensure that Mccaffrey's 

726
00:43:17,240 --> 00:43:19,760
efficiency doesn't fall off 
further. 

727
00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:24,240
Isaac Grendo also sees the 
occasional series providing a 

728
00:43:24,240 --> 00:43:25,400
little juice to the running 
game. 

729
00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:29,200
As a receiver, McCaffrey is 
still solidly efficient. 

730
00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:32,800
He's not the otherworldly 
receiving back he once was, but 

731
00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:37,520
he still turns in a respectable 
1.23 yards per outrun, ranking 

732
00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:42,080
RB 12. 
But the 49ers just don't need to

733
00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:46,080
pass that much in 2025. 
Their absurdly easy schedule 

734
00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:48,640
sees them favored by double 
digits against the Saints, 

735
00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:51,320
Falcons, Panthers, Browns and 
Titans. 

736
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:56,480
They are an underdog just once 
all season and it just plus one 

737
00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:00,800
on the road in Tampa Bay. 
McCaffrey takes advantage of his

738
00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:04,600
receiving opportunities when he 
gets them, but he turns in a sub

739
00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:09,040
elite 58 for 481 and 2 receiving
line. 

740
00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:14,320
The 49ers week 17 game against 
the Bears sums up Mccaffrey's 

741
00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,480
disappointing season. 
Caleb Williams, still searching 

742
00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:20,480
for his first game with a 70% 
plus completion percentage, 

743
00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:25,000
can't keep the Bears on pace 
with the 49ers and Shanahan is 

744
00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:27,800
able to salt away the game 
without burning out McCaffrey 

745
00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:31,240
who is very much being saved for
the playoffs by this point. 

746
00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:36,280
McCaffrey rushes 12 times for 50
yards with three receptions for 

747
00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:41,520
21 yards and 0 touchdowns. 
He manages 15.6 PPR points per 

748
00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:44,720
game for the full season, 
matching Trayvion Henderson. 

749
00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,960
But unlike Henderson, who opens 
2026 drafts as a late 1st 

750
00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:52,800
rounder, McCaffrey is no longer 
a first round fantasy pick. 

751
00:44:53,280 --> 00:44:55,960
The best ball slappies can't be 
bothered with him until round 

752
00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,800
six, although he eventually 
moves into the 4th by August. 

753
00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:04,280
How to play it For most of the 
offseason, I've been thinking 

754
00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:06,720
about McCaffrey as a fairly 
binary bet. 

755
00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:10,800
He's either dust washed, a 
landmine, a bust, or he's 

756
00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:14,280
Christian McCaffrey, the 
greatest PPR back we've ever 

757
00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:17,040
known. 
But reality is never that 

758
00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:19,040
simple. 
There's definitely some risk 

759
00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:21,920
that McCaffrey is still pretty 
damn good, but just not to the 

760
00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:25,600
level he was in 2023, where the 
49ers were justified and never 

761
00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,640
taking him off the field. 
With even a slight step back, 

762
00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:32,080
that attitude could change. 
McCaffrey could go from snap 

763
00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:36,480
dominant to a normal starter and
at his cost, from a legend to a 

764
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:39,720
silent killer. 
But even as I see that risk more

765
00:45:39,720 --> 00:45:42,320
clearly, I'm happy to take it 
on. 

766
00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:46,840
Even at 29 years old, McCaffrey 
checks a ton of boxes in the 

767
00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:50,200
legendary running back profile. 
As disappointing as he was as a 

768
00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:54,400
runner last year, he still saw 
15 receptions in 3 1/2 games. 

769
00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:59,560
He averaged the reception every 
3.8 snaps, an 86 reception pace 

770
00:45:59,760 --> 00:46:02,160
using his 2023 regular season 
snap count. 

771
00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:05,240
It's a small sample and not 
something to take a ton from, 

772
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:07,320
but I think it's fair to say 
that Mccaffrey's role in the 

773
00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:11,120
offense would have remained very
receiving focused had he been 

774
00:46:11,120 --> 00:46:12,680
healthy enough to play last 
year. 

775
00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:17,480
McCaffrey also turned in a 1.60 
yards per outrun last year. 

776
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:21,120
Small sample, but again, nothing
concerning on the receiving 

777
00:46:21,120 --> 00:46:23,560
front. 
So the big questions are one, 

778
00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:27,160
can McCaffrey recapture his 
rushing form after averaging 

779
00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:29,880
just 4.0 yards per carry last 
year? 

780
00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:35,040
And two, can the 49ers support 
another 20 plus touchdown season

781
00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:39,880
like we saw in 2023? 
Let's take the second question 

782
00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:44,280
first. 
Yes, the 49ers have by far the 

783
00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:47,960
easiest schedule in the league, 
one of the most efficient 

784
00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:51,400
passing offenses in the league, 
and no longer have Debo Samuel 

785
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,520
as a hybrid weapon. 
Their offensive line is 

786
00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:56,520
middling, and it's possible the 
offense struggles a bit with 

787
00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:59,960
Brandon Iuke out, but man, this 
is still a strong set up for 

788
00:46:59,960 --> 00:47:03,320
McCaffrey to be the clear cut 
Green Zone weapon on an offense 

789
00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:05,040
that should put up a lot of 
points. 

790
00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:08,960
Now to question 1, and I'm not 
sure I care anymore. 

791
00:47:09,160 --> 00:47:11,280
We're talking about a running 
back who has a clear path to 

792
00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:14,680
four plus receptions per game, 
who can easily hit 2 plus Green 

793
00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:18,520
Zone touches per game, and who 
will have a strong, if not elite

794
00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:21,360
rushing workload when healthy. 
We're talking about a running 

795
00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:26,000
back, and I don't say this 
lightly, who can scam his way to

796
00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:30,160
a legendary season. 
And honestly, I don't think 

797
00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:33,240
that's the world we're in. 
Reports out of camp have been 

798
00:47:33,240 --> 00:47:38,000
glowing, and if McCaffrey is 
really back, he remains the best

799
00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:42,560
bet for a legendary campaign of 
any running back in the NFL. 

800
00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:48,160
Managed league recommendation 
target Ashton Genti. 

801
00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:53,440
Legendary scenario, the Raiders 
open up the 2025 season with 

802
00:47:53,440 --> 00:47:57,240
just a 6.5 Vegas win total, 
facing the Patriots in Week 1. 

803
00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:59,840
Arguably the worst team in the 
league in 2024. 

804
00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:04,240
The Raiders are a three-point 
Rd. underdog, but Pete Carroll 

805
00:48:04,240 --> 00:48:08,240
has his team fired up to 
compete, providing color 

806
00:48:08,240 --> 00:48:09,960
commentary for the Giants and 
Commanders. 

807
00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:13,040
Tom Brady must have been too 
distracted by updates on his 

808
00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:16,840
Raiders upset win over his old 
team to say a single interesting

809
00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:19,240
thing on air. 
At least that's what the Fox 

810
00:48:19,240 --> 00:48:22,400
execs tell themselves. 
The Raiders then harassed Justin

811
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:24,800
Herbert in a low scoring home 
loss to the Chargers. 

812
00:48:25,240 --> 00:48:28,840
Genti is held to 75 total yards,
but saves his day with a rushing

813
00:48:28,840 --> 00:48:31,640
touchdown. 
However, in Week 3, the Raiders 

814
00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:35,040
are shockingly frisky against 
Washington, and it's during this

815
00:48:35,040 --> 00:48:39,120
close loss that Ashton Genti's 
fantasy managers start to 

816
00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:43,240
realize what they have. 
Like in 2024, the Commanders are

817
00:48:43,240 --> 00:48:47,360
susceptible to the run game and 
the Raiders lean on Genti, who 

818
00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,360
has already established himself 
as the clear lead rusher. 

819
00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:54,240
The rookie rushes 22 times for 
132 yards and two touchdowns, 

820
00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:57,440
punching in a three yard score 
and housing another from 31 

821
00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,480
yards out. 
But most promisingly, as the 

822
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:03,080
Raiders trail in the 
second-half, Genti becomes 

823
00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:06,840
heavily involved as a receiver. 
It's the first time the Raiders 

824
00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:09,000
have shown off his receiving 
skills in major way. 

825
00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:12,800
He sees 7 targets totaling 6 
receptions for 40 yards. 

826
00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:16,560
The Raiders then RIP off 3 
consecutive wins against the 

827
00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:19,880
Bears, Colts and Titans by 
beating Tennessee. 

828
00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:23,400
The Raiders make good on Bill 
Simmons declaration the previous

829
00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:25,600
week. 
They are 2020 fives. 

830
00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:29,520
Good, bad team. 
At this point, Genti is starting

831
00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,680
to emerge as a dominant rushing 
force. 

832
00:49:32,120 --> 00:49:36,120
He's averaging 5.4 yards per 
carry, combining unbelievable 

833
00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:38,440
contact balance and instant 
acceleration. 

834
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:41,440
He already has three rushing 
touchdowns from outside the 10 

835
00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:44,640
yard line while also operating 
as the Raiders clear cut goal 

836
00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:47,680
line back. 
Still, outside of his breakout 

837
00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:50,160
game against the Commanders, 
Gente's receiving production 

838
00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:53,000
hasn't been great. 
He's involved, it's just not 

839
00:49:53,000 --> 00:49:56,800
driving his production coming 
out of the Raiders Week 8 by 

840
00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:01,360
that changes against the 
Jaguars, Broncos and Cowboys, 

841
00:50:01,880 --> 00:50:06,200
Gente averages 7 targets for six
receptions and 49 yards against 

842
00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:07,920
Jacksonville. 
He also gets in the end zone. 

843
00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,440
Gente can still transform into a
rushing sledgehammer when 

844
00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:14,480
needed. 
In Week 12, he delights the home

845
00:50:14,480 --> 00:50:17,680
crowd by putting up 204 rushing 
yards against the hapless 

846
00:50:17,680 --> 00:50:20,800
Browns, including a 43 yard 
scamper for a touchdown. 

847
00:50:21,480 --> 00:50:24,880
Gente keeps fans in the seats 
for as long as humanly possible,

848
00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:28,280
but by the mid fourth quarter, 
Dylan Gabriel has emptied the 

849
00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:30,880
stance. 
There are bumps in the road. 

850
00:50:31,280 --> 00:50:34,760
The Week 14 rematch against 
Denver does not go well with 

851
00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:37,520
Gente totaling just 9.3 PPR 
points. 

852
00:50:38,120 --> 00:50:40,640
Fantasy managers are 
understandably nervous about his

853
00:50:40,640 --> 00:50:42,240
next match up against the 
Eagles. 

854
00:50:42,480 --> 00:50:44,160
With the fantasy playoffs 
kicking off. 

855
00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:47,920
Genti doesn't crush against 
Philadelphia, but he does get 

856
00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:52,160
back on track with 112 rushing 
yards and a score, plus A4 for 

857
00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:55,320
29 receiving line. 
But the real money is made in 

858
00:50:55,320 --> 00:51:00,080
Week 17 back in Las Vegas after 
a 2 game road trip, Genti 

859
00:51:00,080 --> 00:51:02,480
reminds the Giants that the 
house always wins. 

860
00:51:03,000 --> 00:51:06,600
He runs for 137 yards, including
a 27 yard touchdown. 

861
00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:10,240
It's his sixth rushing touchdown
of the year from 10 plus yards 

862
00:51:10,240 --> 00:51:12,840
out. 
Genti also sees a season high 9 

863
00:51:12,840 --> 00:51:16,880
targets, posting 8 receptions 
for 60 yards, including a 16 

864
00:51:16,880 --> 00:51:19,840
yard touchdown reception, his 
fourth receiving touchdown of 

865
00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:23,680
the year. 
Genti's 39.7 PPR points are a 

866
00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:26,800
fitting end to the best rookie 
running back season since Saquon

867
00:51:26,800 --> 00:51:31,040
Barkley. 
In total, Genti rushes 272 times

868
00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:34,480
for 1496 yards and 17 
touchdowns. 

869
00:51:34,720 --> 00:51:38,240
It's a wildly impressing rushing
debut, but what makes his season

870
00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:42,920
legendary is that, like he was 
as a sophomore Boise State, he's

871
00:51:42,920 --> 00:51:44,560
also a weapon out of the 
backfield. 

872
00:51:45,240 --> 00:51:49,000
He finishes running back five 
with 61 receptions, turning in 

873
00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:54,080
540 yards and four touchdowns 
with 1.30 yards per outrun. 

874
00:51:54,440 --> 00:51:58,080
Genti isn't even that efficient.
His value is more in being a 

875
00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:01,320
trusted check down when Bowers 
is double covered and when the 

876
00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:04,640
Raiders outside wide receivers 
can't get open quickly, which 

877
00:52:04,640 --> 00:52:07,280
happens a lot. 
Gentie's potential to take 

878
00:52:07,280 --> 00:52:10,800
another step forward as a 
receiver drives 2026 hype to 

879
00:52:10,800 --> 00:52:14,160
outrageous levels. 
Superflex dynasty managers begin

880
00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:18,360
offering obscene packages. 
Joe Burrow in a 2026 first isn't

881
00:52:18,360 --> 00:52:20,440
unheard of for the superstar 
running back. 

882
00:52:21,120 --> 00:52:25,000
Auction redraft leaguers brag 
about only spending $81.00 of a 

883
00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:27,640
$200 budget for the second year 
Phenom. 

884
00:52:28,160 --> 00:52:32,120
When Genti falls past one O 1 
and best Ball Mania 7 underdog 

885
00:52:32,120 --> 00:52:35,200
throws out the draft. 
It's a heady time, and sure, we 

886
00:52:35,200 --> 00:52:39,280
may have gotten out over our 
skis heading into 2026, but the 

887
00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:41,160
hype is genuinely hard to 
resist. 

888
00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:45,480
You'll see once you get here. 
Silent killer scenario. 

889
00:52:46,560 --> 00:52:50,000
Ashton Genti's debut against the
Patriots is extremely efficient.

890
00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:54,320
He averages 7.2 yards per carry,
rips off a 22 yard touchdown run

891
00:52:54,320 --> 00:52:57,320
in the second quarter, and 
averages 7.5 yards per target. 

892
00:52:57,760 --> 00:53:01,360
Unfortunately, Gente only sees 
12 carries and two targets. 

893
00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:07,120
Still, 101 total yards and a 
touchdown isn't bad for an NFL 

894
00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:10,000
debut. 
Gente's fantasy managers bank 

895
00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:14,680
his 18.1 PPR points and eagerly 
await even better results. 

896
00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:19,200
It's a long wait. 
Gente's 12 carries in Week 1 

897
00:53:19,680 --> 00:53:24,840
aren't a rookie being eased in, 
it's his 2025 season average. 

898
00:53:25,240 --> 00:53:30,040
Genti handles just 204 carries 
in 2025, only 10 less than Bijan

899
00:53:30,040 --> 00:53:33,720
Robinson in his seventeen game 
rookie season, but still far 

900
00:53:33,720 --> 00:53:35,600
below what fantasy managers had 
in mind. 

901
00:53:36,280 --> 00:53:39,120
Part of the problem is that the 
Raiders just aren't very good. 

902
00:53:39,640 --> 00:53:42,640
Frequently in negative game 
script, they're rarely in 

903
00:53:42,640 --> 00:53:45,240
position to establish Genti as a
downhill runner. 

904
00:53:45,480 --> 00:53:49,280
As a receiver, the Raiders slow 
play, the rookie turning to 

905
00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:51,720
Dylan Lauby in pure passing 
situations. 

906
00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:56,440
The take cast gain is our loss. 
Genti is limited to 38 

907
00:53:56,440 --> 00:54:01,320
receptions for 281 yards and one
touchdown with just 0.93 yards 

908
00:54:01,320 --> 00:54:04,120
per outrun. 
Genti is more efficient as a 

909
00:54:04,120 --> 00:54:07,840
runner where despite playing 
behind a weak offensive line, he

910
00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:12,360
averages 4.9 yards per carry. 
At the end of the season, the 

911
00:54:12,360 --> 00:54:16,560
Raiders finally feed him, giving
him 20 carries, which he turns 

912
00:54:16,560 --> 00:54:19,960
into 92 yards. 
But this is too late to matter 

913
00:54:19,960 --> 00:54:24,600
for fantasy, occurring in week 
18 and primarily to help Genti 

914
00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:28,520
hit a 1000 yard season. 
He hits exactly 1000 yards, 

915
00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:30,960
finishing his season with a 2 
yard carry. 

916
00:54:31,480 --> 00:54:35,080
It's a fittingly uninspiring end
to a rookie season that isn't 

917
00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:38,720
bad by normal standards, but is 
crushing compared to the fantasy

918
00:54:38,720 --> 00:54:41,040
community's outsized 
expectation. 

919
00:54:41,520 --> 00:54:46,040
Genti averages just 11.6 PPR 
points per game behind Omarion 

920
00:54:46,040 --> 00:54:49,600
Hampton and RJ Harvey. 
He does at least outscore 

921
00:54:49,600 --> 00:54:53,000
Trayvon Henderson at just 10.9 
points per game. 

922
00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:56,440
Henderson spends most of his 
year pigeonholed in the James 

923
00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:59,560
White roll, but this actually 
compounds the pain for the 

924
00:54:59,560 --> 00:55:02,640
slappy drafters who thought 
pairing these rookies was the 

925
00:55:02,640 --> 00:55:05,560
key to the season. 
How to play it? 

926
00:55:06,600 --> 00:55:09,520
Ashton Genti was an incredible 
running back prospect. 

927
00:55:09,640 --> 00:55:13,240
Everyone knows that. 
But I don't know if people 

928
00:55:13,240 --> 00:55:16,480
realize just how good of a 
receiving prospect he was. 

929
00:55:17,040 --> 00:55:22,800
In 2024, he averaged 1.6 
receptions per game with a poor 

930
00:55:22,920 --> 00:55:27,000
0.54 yards per route run. 
I've seen that held up as 

931
00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:30,200
evidence that Genti is actually 
a bad receiving prospect. 

932
00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:34,160
Here's the thing though. 
Genti handled 27 attempts per 

933
00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:38,080
game that year. 27 he wasn't 
used in the receiving game, but 

934
00:55:38,080 --> 00:55:40,960
not because he can't do it. 
There's just only so much you 

935
00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:44,040
can feed a guy. 
In 2023, Genti was in a 

936
00:55:44,040 --> 00:55:47,040
different role. 
He averaged 18 carries per game 

937
00:55:47,400 --> 00:55:50,160
and a very healthy 3.7 
receptions per game. 

938
00:55:50,720 --> 00:55:53,920
And Gentie was extremely 
efficient in this role, turning 

939
00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:58,880
in 3.19 yards per route run. 
You want to use Gentie as a 2 

940
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:01,000
down hammer? 
He'll do that well. 

941
00:56:01,720 --> 00:56:04,840
You want to use him as a 
versatile weapon, he'll do that 

942
00:56:04,840 --> 00:56:08,320
well too. 
The question now is how the 

943
00:56:08,320 --> 00:56:10,120
Raiders intend to deploy the 
rookie. 

944
00:56:10,840 --> 00:56:13,720
Given that we play a game that 
rewards receptions, it would be 

945
00:56:13,720 --> 00:56:17,120
really nice if they're a fan of 
the 2023 tape. 

946
00:56:18,040 --> 00:56:20,840
We don't need the Raiders to go 
nuts with his receiving volume. 

947
00:56:20,840 --> 00:56:24,120
They don't need to use Gente 
like the Dolphins used Devon a 

948
00:56:24,120 --> 00:56:26,720
Chan last year. 
Something closer to Breece 

949
00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:28,680
Hall's career receiving usage 
would be plenty. 

950
00:56:28,680 --> 00:56:32,720
Something like 65 receptions 
rather than 75 plus. 

951
00:56:33,320 --> 00:56:38,360
And then we need Ashton Gente to
be the truth, but the Raiders 

952
00:56:38,360 --> 00:56:40,760
are clearly banking on him to be
exactly that. 

953
00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:43,160
I didn't mention Dylan Lobby as 
a joke. 

954
00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:46,440
Well, not entirely as a joke, 
he's expected to make the final 

955
00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:48,680
53. 
Meanwhile, Raheem Mostert 

956
00:56:48,680 --> 00:56:51,720
appears to be on the bubble, 
Gentie's Russian competition 

957
00:56:51,720 --> 00:56:55,400
looks to be Zamir White, and 
Lobby really might be his third 

958
00:56:55,400 --> 00:56:57,760
down competition. 
What that really means is that 

959
00:56:57,840 --> 00:57:00,520
Gentie could be the whole show 
in Vegas. 

960
00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:03,920
Saquon Barkley is the only 
rookie running back to turn in a

961
00:57:03,920 --> 00:57:09,000
legendary season, and he got 
there with 121 targets, a level 

962
00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:11,800
of receiving volume that Gentie 
is not going to match. 

963
00:57:12,440 --> 00:57:15,800
But like Barkley as a rookie, 
Genti appears set to immediately

964
00:57:15,800 --> 00:57:18,680
operate as a workhorse running 
back and has a comparable 

965
00:57:18,680 --> 00:57:21,120
receiving role. 
He won't see as many targets as 

966
00:57:21,120 --> 00:57:24,960
Barkley did, but he should be 
efficient with what he gets in 

967
00:57:24,960 --> 00:57:27,000
best ball. 
Genti has been a target for me, 

968
00:57:27,240 --> 00:57:30,640
but this is because he goes 
after the big wide receiver tier

969
00:57:30,640 --> 00:57:32,800
of Malik Neighbors, Nico 
Collins, Amin Ross St. 

970
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:34,520
Brown, Brian Thomas and Puka 
Nakua. 

971
00:57:35,400 --> 00:57:39,200
But in the FFPC main event, he's
going ahead of all those wide 

972
00:57:39,200 --> 00:57:41,880
receivers listed in order of 
their current ADP. 

973
00:57:42,880 --> 00:57:45,920
This is a pretty massive 
difference in opportunity cost, 

974
00:57:46,040 --> 00:57:48,920
even though we're only talking 
about A5 pick gap between where 

975
00:57:48,920 --> 00:57:51,160
I'm happy to take him versus 
where I'm completely out. 

976
00:57:52,200 --> 00:57:54,520
But that's the way it goes this 
high up in the draft. 

977
00:57:54,960 --> 00:57:57,600
If my opportunity cost is Malik 
Neighbors, no thanks. 

978
00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:01,040
If my opportunity cost is Drake 
London, though, give me the 

979
00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:03,280
rookie, manage the 
recommendation. 

980
00:58:03,880 --> 00:58:08,560
If the wide receivers are gone, 
live a little Derek Henry. 

981
00:58:09,280 --> 00:58:14,000
Legendary scenario The Ravens 
2025 season begins just as 

982
00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,960
everyone expects. 
The defense remains elite, Lamar

983
00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:20,880
Jackson continues to deliver at 
an MVP level, and Derrick Henry 

984
00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:24,280
punishes defenses for overly 
diverting their attention to 

985
00:58:24,280 --> 00:58:26,840
Jackson. 
It's a no win situation for 

986
00:58:26,840 --> 00:58:29,360
opposing defenses. 
Over the first six weeks of the 

987
00:58:29,360 --> 00:58:33,280
season, Derrick Henry has two 
highlight games, turning in 23 

988
00:58:33,280 --> 00:58:37,120
carries for 143 yards and two 
touchdowns against the Browns 

989
00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:41,040
and a vintage performance 
against the Texans with a 29 for

990
00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:44,560
177 and two rushing line in both
games. 

991
00:58:44,560 --> 00:58:48,680
He logs 2 receptions with 26 
yards against Cleveland and 15 

992
00:58:48,680 --> 00:58:51,320
against Houston. 
Henry's faders can't seem to 

993
00:58:51,320 --> 00:58:54,000
recall why they couldn't bring 
themselves to draft a running 

994
00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:57,240
back capable of dropping 2:30 
plus PPR point games in the 

995
00:58:57,240 --> 00:59:00,080
first six weeks. 
But the faders get some relief 

996
00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:02,920
in Week 7. 
The Ravens have their bye week. 

997
00:59:03,720 --> 00:59:08,040
It's a short reprieve. 
In Week 8, Henry rushes 24 times

998
00:59:08,040 --> 00:59:12,760
for 140 yards and one touchdown 
against the Panthers, adding one

999
00:59:12,760 --> 00:59:17,320
reception for 23 yards. 
The season is a microcosm of 

1000
00:59:17,320 --> 00:59:21,000
Henry's entire career. 
The unbelievers wait in vain for

1001
00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:23,800
Henry to finally slow down. 
He just never does. 

1002
00:59:24,160 --> 00:59:26,880
In Week 17, the Raiders travel 
to Green Bay. 

1003
00:59:27,360 --> 00:59:31,960
The temperature at kickoff is 
22°F as Henry lines up in the 

1004
00:59:31,960 --> 00:59:34,160
backfield for the Ravens first 
offensive snap. 

1005
00:59:34,680 --> 00:59:39,600
He's already carried the ball 
310 times for the 2025 Ravens, 

1006
00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:45,320
rushing for 18105 yards and 17 
touchdowns, and he's already 

1007
00:59:45,320 --> 00:59:49,920
added 27 receptions for 262 
yards and two touchdowns. 

1008
00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:53,960
Even before touching the ball a 
single time in Green Bay, Henry 

1009
00:59:53,960 --> 00:59:56,320
has already secured the third 
highest rushing total of his 

1010
00:59:56,320 --> 01:00:00,080
career, his third season with 
2000 plus total yards. 

1011
01:00:00,600 --> 01:00:04,200
And the most touchdowns of any 
season in his spectacular 10 

1012
01:00:04,200 --> 01:00:07,400
year career. 
But Henry isn't done yet. 

1013
01:00:08,040 --> 01:00:10,920
On the very first play from 
scrimmage, Henry gashes the 

1014
01:00:10,920 --> 01:00:14,920
Packers defense for 33 yards. 
Lamar Jackson caps off the 

1015
01:00:14,920 --> 01:00:18,520
Ravens initial drive with a 13 
yard touchdown pass to Isaiah 

1016
01:00:18,520 --> 01:00:21,000
Likely. 
The Ravens never surrender the 

1017
01:00:21,000 --> 01:00:23,360
lead. 
Operating as the Ravens early 

1018
01:00:23,360 --> 01:00:27,880
down Hammer, Henry racks up 26 
carries for 172 rushing yards 

1019
01:00:28,120 --> 01:00:31,520
and two touchdowns. 
He adds 3 receptions for 25 

1020
01:00:31,520 --> 01:00:35,280
yards. 
His 33.7 PPR points are the 

1021
01:00:35,320 --> 01:00:39,800
exclamation point on a lesson 
that some just cannot seem to 

1022
01:00:39,800 --> 01:00:42,320
learn. 
Don't fade the big dog. 

1023
01:00:43,160 --> 01:00:48,360
But in 2025, that lesson is 
especially painful as Henry sets

1024
01:00:48,360 --> 01:00:53,160
career highs in rushing yards 
with 2071, rushing touchdowns 

1025
01:00:53,360 --> 01:00:57,440
with 19 and nearly best his 
career high in receptions, which

1026
01:00:57,440 --> 01:01:00,520
sits at 33 by recording 31 
catches. 

1027
01:01:01,280 --> 01:01:05,840
Somehow, his 388 touches are not
a new career high. 

1028
01:01:06,200 --> 01:01:11,480
He saw 397 in 16 games in 2020, 
but it's still an unbelievable 

1029
01:01:11,480 --> 01:01:14,480
feat for one of the best runners
in NFL history. 

1030
01:01:16,080 --> 01:01:20,480
Silent killer scenario. 
The 2025 season has some great 

1031
01:01:20,480 --> 01:01:24,400
games, but none better than the 
Ravens Week 13 battle with the 

1032
01:01:24,400 --> 01:01:26,480
Bengals. 
Joe Burrow is the only 

1033
01:01:26,480 --> 01:01:29,400
quarterback to truly carve up 
the Ravens past defense all 

1034
01:01:29,400 --> 01:01:32,800
season, throwing for 345 yards 
and three scores. 

1035
01:01:33,160 --> 01:01:37,000
In the second quarter, he hits 
Jamar Chase 10 yards deep along 

1036
01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:39,480
the sideline. 
Chase spins in the air to secure

1037
01:01:39,480 --> 01:01:42,920
the catch with his momentum 
clearly by all known laws of 

1038
01:01:42,920 --> 01:01:44,960
physics taking him out of 
bounds. 

1039
01:01:45,520 --> 01:01:48,080
But not only does he get his 
feet in, he cuts back into the 

1040
01:01:48,080 --> 01:01:50,600
field of play. 
With Nate Wiggins stumbling 

1041
01:01:50,600 --> 01:01:54,240
through Bengals players on the 
sideline, Chase goes 47 yards 

1042
01:01:54,240 --> 01:01:56,920
for the score. 
To avoid being inundated with 

1043
01:01:56,920 --> 01:02:00,320
the clip on Twitter, you have to
mute the eyes emoji. 

1044
01:02:01,200 --> 01:02:03,720
The Ravens, meanwhile, lean on a
balanced attack. 

1045
01:02:04,240 --> 01:02:06,720
Lamar Jackson has one of his 
best games of the season, 

1046
01:02:07,040 --> 01:02:10,760
throwing for 305 yards and two 
touchdowns, adding 53 yards and 

1047
01:02:10,760 --> 01:02:13,680
a touchdown as a runner. 
But the running game is a 

1048
01:02:13,680 --> 01:02:15,280
crucial part of the attack as 
well. 

1049
01:02:15,840 --> 01:02:19,640
The Ravens backfield combines 
for 144 rushing yards, bringing 

1050
01:02:19,640 --> 01:02:22,560
the Ravens to 502 yards of total
offense. 

1051
01:02:23,440 --> 01:02:26,200
Derrick Henry, however, has a 
modest fantasy day. 

1052
01:02:26,560 --> 01:02:29,640
He turns 17 carries into 95 
rushing yards and a touchdown, 

1053
01:02:30,120 --> 01:02:31,760
but he fails to record a 
reception. 

1054
01:02:32,240 --> 01:02:37,240
His 15.5 PPR points are a big 
let down given an otherwise 

1055
01:02:37,240 --> 01:02:40,520
incredible game. 
Henry's lack of a receiving role

1056
01:02:40,960 --> 01:02:44,120
is a big part of the problem. 
As the Ravens make their way 

1057
01:02:44,120 --> 01:02:46,760
down the field for what will 
become a final second Lamar 

1058
01:02:46,760 --> 01:02:49,440
Jackson touchdown flick to 
DeAndre Hopkins in the back of 

1059
01:02:49,440 --> 01:02:51,960
the end zone, Henry isn't even 
on the field. 

1060
01:02:52,960 --> 01:02:55,240
This is a consistent problem 
throughout the season. 

1061
01:02:55,720 --> 01:02:59,360
Like in 2024, including the 
playoffs, Henry fails to record 

1062
01:02:59,360 --> 01:03:04,080
a reception in 37% of his games,
meaning he goes catchless in six

1063
01:03:04,080 --> 01:03:06,560
of 17 regular season games in 
2025. 

1064
01:03:07,120 --> 01:03:10,040
And he peaks with just two 
receptions, which he hits twice.

1065
01:03:10,680 --> 01:03:15,400
His 13 receptions are his lowest
mark since 2017, but only 6 

1066
01:03:15,400 --> 01:03:20,000
fewer than he saw in 2024. 
Even worse, Henry doesn't have a

1067
01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:23,680
total lock on carries. 
After averaging 19 carries per 

1068
01:03:23,680 --> 01:03:29,040
game in 2024, Henry drops to 
16.5 in 2025. 

1069
01:03:29,520 --> 01:03:34,520
With Henry turning 32 before the
2025 slash 26 playoffs, it makes

1070
01:03:34,520 --> 01:03:36,800
a ton of sense for the Ravens 
not to overuse their star 

1071
01:03:36,800 --> 01:03:40,040
runner. 
But this isn't the Ravens being 

1072
01:03:40,040 --> 01:03:43,240
prudent. 
As the season progresses, Keaton

1073
01:03:43,240 --> 01:03:46,360
Mitchell continues to deliver 
the game breaking explosiveness 

1074
01:03:46,360 --> 01:03:48,480
he flashes. 
A rookie, Mitchell earns A 

1075
01:03:48,480 --> 01:03:51,280
rotational roll behind Henry, 
siphoning off 6 carries per 

1076
01:03:51,280 --> 01:03:54,840
game, exactly what Tony Pollard 
averaged behind Ezekiel Elliott.

1077
01:03:55,040 --> 01:03:59,080
In his first two seasons, 
Mitchell averages 5.5 yards per 

1078
01:03:59,080 --> 01:04:01,360
carry. 
Henry's efficiency falls off 

1079
01:04:01,360 --> 01:04:06,080
from 2025's career high 5.9 
yards per carry to his career 

1080
01:04:06,080 --> 01:04:09,760
average of 4.9. 
Playing Lex to Lamar Jackson 

1081
01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:13,720
definitely helps, but Henry is 
just a touch less explosive in 

1082
01:04:13,720 --> 01:04:17,400
his 10th NFL season. 
In Week 17, the Ravens travel to

1083
01:04:17,400 --> 01:04:20,280
Green Bay in a game that turns 
into a battle of running games. 

1084
01:04:21,000 --> 01:04:24,400
Henry grinds out 91 yards and a 
touchdown on 19 carries, but 

1085
01:04:24,400 --> 01:04:28,120
doesn't record a catch. 
His 15.6 PPR points aren't a 

1086
01:04:28,120 --> 01:04:30,720
terrible showing, but they 
aren't enough to make up for a 

1087
01:04:30,720 --> 01:04:34,240
season where he averages just 
13.3 PPR points per game. 

1088
01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:38,880
For fantasy managers, the 
especially frustrating thing is 

1089
01:04:38,880 --> 01:04:41,680
that Henry has a very good real 
life season. 

1090
01:04:42,160 --> 01:04:47,680
He rushes 281 times for 13174 
yards and 11 touchdowns. 

1091
01:04:48,080 --> 01:04:52,000
It's the 7th 1000 yard season of
his 10 year career and his 

1092
01:04:52,040 --> 01:04:54,840
eighth straight season with 10 
plus rushing touchdowns. 

1093
01:04:55,680 --> 01:05:01,680
But with just a 13 reception, 
140 yard and 0 receiving line. 

1094
01:05:02,480 --> 01:05:06,720
Even at half PPR, Henry's 
production just isn't fantasy 

1095
01:05:06,720 --> 01:05:09,800
friendly enough for what he cost
in drafts. 

1096
01:05:10,280 --> 01:05:16,160
In 2026, a new best ball site 
called King Dog launches started

1097
01:05:16,160 --> 01:05:18,920
by a mysterious figure known 
only as Tree. 

1098
01:05:19,160 --> 01:05:22,480
The Tennessee based company's 
scoring settings include half a 

1099
01:05:22,480 --> 01:05:25,440
point per carry. 
How to play it? 

1100
01:05:26,320 --> 01:05:29,320
Some people just never learn. 
It's me. 

1101
01:05:29,760 --> 01:05:33,080
I'm some people. 
Look, I faded Henry last year 

1102
01:05:33,600 --> 01:05:36,920
and that was dead wrong. 
I also faded Berkeley, which was

1103
01:05:36,920 --> 01:05:39,080
dead wrong. 
But I feel worse about the Henry

1104
01:05:39,080 --> 01:05:42,120
fade because he was actually 
cheap. 

1105
01:05:43,120 --> 01:05:45,920
By the end of the summer, 
Barkley was making his way into 

1106
01:05:45,920 --> 01:05:48,840
the first round. 
Henry was still in the 3rd, and 

1107
01:05:48,840 --> 01:05:51,560
in basketball drafts earlier in 
the summer he was slipping to 

1108
01:05:51,560 --> 01:05:53,960
round four. 
At that price, I didn't need 

1109
01:05:53,960 --> 01:05:55,760
legendary upside for the pick to
pay off. 

1110
01:05:56,000 --> 01:05:58,800
The opportunity cost at wide 
receiver just wasn't that high. 

1111
01:05:59,480 --> 01:06:02,800
But as I'm writing this, Henry 
has the same main event ADP as 

1112
01:06:02,800 --> 01:06:05,600
Puka Nakua. 
The opportunity cost is very 

1113
01:06:05,600 --> 01:06:09,360
high, and his upside case boils 
down to last year. 

1114
01:06:09,360 --> 01:06:13,520
But better to get more specific.
Henry's upside case boils down 

1115
01:06:13,520 --> 01:06:17,480
to Derrick Henry sets new career
highs and basically everything 

1116
01:06:17,680 --> 01:06:20,320
on a team with Super Bowl 
aspirations that should be smart

1117
01:06:20,320 --> 01:06:23,200
enough not to give their star 
running back nearly 400 regular 

1118
01:06:23,200 --> 01:06:25,640
season touches right before his 
32nd birthday. 

1119
01:06:26,360 --> 01:06:29,200
That's how he turns in his first
legendary season. 

1120
01:06:30,120 --> 01:06:32,360
Because we're talking about 
Derrick Henry, the outlier king.

1121
01:06:32,560 --> 01:06:35,480
It'll probably happen. 
Manage league recommendation. 

1122
01:06:36,000 --> 01:06:41,560
Fade Chase Brown. 
Legendary scenario early in 

1123
01:06:41,560 --> 01:06:43,800
2025. 
The Bengals look like they did 

1124
01:06:43,800 --> 01:06:47,400
to close 2024. 
Burrough was playing great but 

1125
01:06:47,400 --> 01:06:50,640
has too much on his shoulders 
attached to a defense that still

1126
01:06:50,640 --> 01:06:54,840
can't stop opposing offenses. 
Burrough is also harassed behind

1127
01:06:54,840 --> 01:06:57,320
an offensive line that has 
frequent let downs. 

1128
01:06:57,760 --> 01:07:00,040
Burrough has to fight through 
minor injuries, offensive 

1129
01:07:00,040 --> 01:07:03,560
inconsistency, and deal with 
frustrating one score losses to 

1130
01:07:03,560 --> 01:07:06,320
the Jaguars and Steelers, but 
he's still Joe Burrough. 

1131
01:07:06,920 --> 01:07:09,400
The offense puts up points in 
bunches. 

1132
01:07:10,000 --> 01:07:11,840
Chase Brown is mostly along for 
the ride. 

1133
01:07:12,280 --> 01:07:15,440
He's the clear cut early down 
workhorse, although he loses 

1134
01:07:15,440 --> 01:07:18,000
work to Samaji P Ryan in passing
situations. 

1135
01:07:18,360 --> 01:07:21,920
He's not the stat dominant 
player he was at times in 2024, 

1136
01:07:22,240 --> 01:07:25,360
but he sees plenty of work. 
P Ryan's impact is pretty 

1137
01:07:25,360 --> 01:07:27,120
minimal even in the passing 
game. 

1138
01:07:27,280 --> 01:07:29,440
With the Bengals dropping back 
frequently, there's plenty of 

1139
01:07:29,440 --> 01:07:31,080
early down targets available for
Brown. 

1140
01:07:31,440 --> 01:07:34,920
He averages 6.4 targets per game
through the 1st 9 weeks of the 

1141
01:07:34,920 --> 01:07:38,960
season, a significant increase 
from the 4.75 he averaged in the

1142
01:07:38,960 --> 01:07:44,040
final eight weeks of 2024. 
Brown's receiving work drives a 

1143
01:07:44,040 --> 01:07:46,000
lot of his value in the early 
weeks. 

1144
01:07:46,400 --> 01:07:48,960
He goes for a 13 yard touchdown 
on a screen pass against the 

1145
01:07:48,960 --> 01:07:52,840
Jaguars, scores on a 22 yard 
wheel route against the Lions, 

1146
01:07:53,160 --> 01:07:55,880
and adds A6 yard touchdown 
against the Bears. 

1147
01:07:56,880 --> 01:07:59,040
But Brown is hardly a 0 as a 
runner. 

1148
01:07:59,440 --> 01:08:00,960
For one thing, he's more 
efficient. 

1149
01:08:01,400 --> 01:08:05,960
After averaging just 4.3 yards 
per carry in 2024 and 4.2 for 

1150
01:08:05,960 --> 01:08:10,800
his two year career, Brown jumps
to 4.8 yards per carry in 2025 

1151
01:08:11,040 --> 01:08:13,840
and he's frequently in scoring 
position as part of the Bengals 

1152
01:08:13,920 --> 01:08:17,160
high flying attack. 
Through the 1st 9 weeks of the 

1153
01:08:17,160 --> 01:08:20,359
year, he rushes for 4 
touchdowns, totalling 7 from 

1154
01:08:20,359 --> 01:08:22,720
scrimmage. 
When the Bengals emerge from 

1155
01:08:22,720 --> 01:08:25,279
their week 10 by they tweak 
their approach. 

1156
01:08:25,720 --> 01:08:29,920
Burrow drops back just 31 times 
against the Steelers in a 17 to 

1157
01:08:29,920 --> 01:08:33,200
16 win. 
This is initially chalked up to 

1158
01:08:33,200 --> 01:08:36,120
being a divisional rematch 
against an Arthur Smith slash 

1159
01:08:36,160 --> 01:08:39,600
Aaron Rodgers LED offense. 
How could anyone expect passing 

1160
01:08:39,600 --> 01:08:41,800
volume? 
But the Bengals maintain a 

1161
01:08:41,800 --> 01:08:45,359
similar style in Week 11 against
the Patriots, and once again it 

1162
01:08:45,359 --> 01:08:48,439
proves to be a winning approach.
Not only do the Bengals control 

1163
01:08:48,439 --> 01:08:52,680
the clock in the fourth quarter,
salting away a 23 to 17 win, but

1164
01:08:52,680 --> 01:08:55,080
their defense puts Drake May 
under constant pressure, 

1165
01:08:55,359 --> 01:08:58,080
generating 3 turnovers At the 
time. 

1166
01:08:58,479 --> 01:09:01,359
This is chalked up to the 
Patriots truly abysmal offensive

1167
01:09:01,359 --> 01:09:03,160
line. 
Will Campbell is a genuine 

1168
01:09:03,160 --> 01:09:06,200
liability and pass protection, 
and Morgan Moses has been out 

1169
01:09:06,200 --> 01:09:09,279
for six weeks by this point. 
But that's only part of the 

1170
01:09:09,279 --> 01:09:11,960
story. 
The Bengals defense is beginning

1171
01:09:11,960 --> 01:09:14,560
to gel. 
It's not like the Bengals are a 

1172
01:09:14,560 --> 01:09:16,840
grinded out rushing team for the
rest of the year. 

1173
01:09:17,200 --> 01:09:19,720
They put up 40 in a week 14 win 
over the Bills. 

1174
01:09:20,160 --> 01:09:23,439
But Cincinnati is definitely way
more comfortable leaning on the 

1175
01:09:23,439 --> 01:09:27,439
run game and trusting their 
defense than they were in 2024. 

1176
01:09:28,200 --> 01:09:31,479
This is huge for Chase Brown, 
who jumps from 15 attempts per 

1177
01:09:31,479 --> 01:09:35,399
game in the Bengals first nine 
games to 19 per game down the 

1178
01:09:35,399 --> 01:09:39,840
stretch, just above the 18.9 
attempts per game that he closed

1179
01:09:39,840 --> 01:09:43,479
out 2024 with. 
Brown scores from 27 yards out 

1180
01:09:43,479 --> 01:09:47,040
against the Bills in Week 14, 
but he does the rest of his 

1181
01:09:47,040 --> 01:09:49,840
damage in close. 
Because while Brown may not be 

1182
01:09:49,840 --> 01:09:52,640
the most efficient runner in the
league, he is an absolute hammer

1183
01:09:52,640 --> 01:09:55,560
at the goal line. 
From Weeks 10 through 16, he 

1184
01:09:55,560 --> 01:09:57,920
rushes for seven Green Zone 
touchdowns. 

1185
01:09:58,720 --> 01:10:03,480
Through 16 weeks, Brown has 
already totaled 15 touchdowns, 

1186
01:10:03,680 --> 01:10:08,120
the most of any running back. 
In Week 17, the Bengals host the

1187
01:10:08,120 --> 01:10:10,720
Cardinals. 
The two franchises situations 

1188
01:10:10,720 --> 01:10:14,640
are dramatically different. 
The Bengals are fighting for a 

1189
01:10:14,640 --> 01:10:18,120
division win, having split with 
the Ravens in Weeks 13 and 15. 

1190
01:10:18,760 --> 01:10:21,480
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are 
preparing for a full reset. 

1191
01:10:21,960 --> 01:10:24,440
The relationship between 
Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray

1192
01:10:24,440 --> 01:10:27,360
broke down after a multi score 
home loss to the Jaguars. 

1193
01:10:27,840 --> 01:10:30,360
And the relationship between 
Gannon and Michael Bidwell broke

1194
01:10:30,360 --> 01:10:33,040
down shortly thereafter 
following a home loss to the 

1195
01:10:33,040 --> 01:10:36,000
Rams in Week 14, their sixth 
straight loss. 

1196
01:10:36,640 --> 01:10:39,680
So when the Cardinals come to 
town, the Bengals are facing a 

1197
01:10:39,680 --> 01:10:43,560
Jacoby Brisset LED squad with 
Kyler Murray on ice awaiting an 

1198
01:10:43,560 --> 01:10:46,320
offseason trade. 
The Bengals dominate from start 

1199
01:10:46,320 --> 01:10:49,760
to finish, although ironically 
the goal line dominant running 

1200
01:10:49,760 --> 01:10:53,560
backs only rushing score of the 
day is on a 34 yard dash in the 

1201
01:10:53,560 --> 01:10:56,320
third quarter. 
But Brown's reputation as a 

1202
01:10:56,320 --> 01:11:01,240
short yardage hammer still helps
as he catches not one but two 

1203
01:11:01,240 --> 01:11:05,840
touchdowns on play action passes
at the goal line with 21 carries

1204
01:11:05,840 --> 01:11:10,720
for 124 yards and a touchdown 
and four receptions for 21 yards

1205
01:11:10,760 --> 01:11:14,560
and two touchdowns on 4 targets.
Brown seals fantasy 

1206
01:11:14,560 --> 01:11:17,760
championships with 36.5 PPR 
points. 

1207
01:11:18,320 --> 01:11:23,200
In total, he rushes 289 times 
for 13187 yards and 13 

1208
01:11:23,200 --> 01:11:27,360
touchdowns with 80 receptions 
for 658 yards and five 

1209
01:11:27,360 --> 01:11:30,760
touchdowns on 94 targets. 
Good for a truly legendary 

1210
01:11:30,760 --> 01:11:33,720
season of 23.1 PPR points per 
game. 

1211
01:11:34,240 --> 01:11:37,880
Bengals fans begin calling him 
Sheisty Brown. 

1212
01:11:39,280 --> 01:11:42,880
Silent killer scenario in Week 
1, the Bengals open the season 

1213
01:11:43,120 --> 01:11:46,080
as 5.5 Rd. favorites over the 
Browns. 

1214
01:11:46,640 --> 01:11:48,680
As you would expect, they 
control the game. 

1215
01:11:49,120 --> 01:11:52,960
But for Chase Brown drafters, 
how they control the game is a 

1216
01:11:52,960 --> 01:11:56,040
bit disconcerting. 
The Bengals aggressively pass 

1217
01:11:56,040 --> 01:11:58,560
the ball throughout the first 
half, using a mix of quick 

1218
01:11:58,560 --> 01:12:02,120
passes and downfield throws to 
consistently move the chains. 

1219
01:12:02,560 --> 01:12:04,040
It's not like Brown isn't 
involved. 

1220
01:12:04,040 --> 01:12:06,600
He sees 9 carries turning in 37 
yards. 

1221
01:12:07,200 --> 01:12:09,880
He also logs to reception for 16
yards. 

1222
01:12:10,400 --> 01:12:12,760
But the Bengals don't lean on 
Brown near the goal line, 

1223
01:12:12,760 --> 01:12:14,880
choosing instead to keep the 
ball in Burroughs hands. 

1224
01:12:15,520 --> 01:12:18,160
And with the Bengals closing out
the first half with a 2 minute 

1225
01:12:18,160 --> 01:12:21,760
field goal, Dr. Semashi P Ryan 
is in the backfield. 

1226
01:12:22,920 --> 01:12:26,360
With the Bengals up two scores 
in the second-half, Brown 

1227
01:12:26,360 --> 01:12:29,440
finally gets going, seeing 10 
carries for 40 yards and a 

1228
01:12:29,440 --> 01:12:33,280
touchdown. 
All in all, it's a 17.3 PPR 

1229
01:12:33,280 --> 01:12:36,200
point day. 
Not a bad debut, but Brown 

1230
01:12:36,200 --> 01:12:39,560
drafters can't get the image of 
Taj Brooks entering the game in 

1231
01:12:39,560 --> 01:12:40,960
the fourth quarter out of their 
mind. 

1232
01:12:41,600 --> 01:12:43,960
Brooks rushes 4 times for 18 
yards. 

1233
01:12:44,400 --> 01:12:46,920
As the season progresses, it 
quickly becomes clear that P 

1234
01:12:46,920 --> 01:12:49,720
Ryan is going to be a thorn in 
Brown side in the passing game. 

1235
01:12:50,320 --> 01:12:53,240
Brown, who saw 66% route 
participation down the stretch 

1236
01:12:53,240 --> 01:12:58,600
in 2024, drops to just 55%. 
That's still better than his 50%

1237
01:12:58,600 --> 01:13:02,760
full season 2024 mark and higher
than any of Joe Mixon's seasons 

1238
01:13:03,000 --> 01:13:06,720
from 2020 through 2023. 
But this more limited route 

1239
01:13:06,720 --> 01:13:09,960
participation is a sign that 
Brown isn't the three down 

1240
01:13:09,960 --> 01:13:14,400
workhorse drafters were hoping 
Brown isn't a 0 as a receiver, 

1241
01:13:14,800 --> 01:13:18,560
but after producing 54 
receptions for 360 yards and 

1242
01:13:18,560 --> 01:13:24,520
four touchdowns in 2024, he 
drops to 47 receptions for 359 

1243
01:13:24,520 --> 01:13:28,800
yards and one touchdown in 2025.
Brown still sees plenty of 

1244
01:13:28,800 --> 01:13:33,960
carries with 264 attempts. 
He finishes RB5 on the year, but

1245
01:13:33,960 --> 01:13:37,560
after pacing for 321 carries in 
his final eight games of 2024, 

1246
01:13:37,560 --> 01:13:42,080
it's still a bit of a let down. 
Like in 2024, Brown sees a solid

1247
01:13:42,080 --> 01:13:44,400
amount of goal line work, but 
not an elite workload. 

1248
01:13:44,760 --> 01:13:47,840
He rushes for seven rushing 
touchdowns, matching his 2024 

1249
01:13:47,840 --> 01:13:50,320
total. 
In terms of rushing efficiency, 

1250
01:13:50,320 --> 01:13:53,760
the status quo holds, but this 
is the one element of the 

1251
01:13:53,760 --> 01:13:56,240
rushing game that Brown drafters
were hoping would change. 

1252
01:13:56,600 --> 01:14:00,640
Brown, who averaged his 4.3 
yards per carry in 2024, turns 

1253
01:14:00,640 --> 01:14:07,280
264 carries into 1133 yards. 
And by the time that the Bengals

1254
01:14:07,280 --> 01:14:11,040
take on the Cardinals in Week 
17, Taj Brooks has proven worthy

1255
01:14:11,120 --> 01:14:14,680
of mixing in more regularly. 
He's still there to keep Brown 

1256
01:14:14,680 --> 01:14:17,120
fresh rather than challenging 
for the job. 

1257
01:14:17,680 --> 01:14:22,920
But in a 26 to 23 win, Brown 
turns in just 13 carries for 57 

1258
01:14:22,920 --> 01:14:27,720
scoreless yards, adding three 
for 25 as a receiver for 11.2 

1259
01:14:27,720 --> 01:14:30,960
PPR points. 
For the season, Brown averages 

1260
01:14:30,960 --> 01:14:35,200
14.4 PPR points per game. 
Despite being the starting 

1261
01:14:35,200 --> 01:14:38,040
running back on one of the best 
offenses in football, his 

1262
01:14:38,040 --> 01:14:41,320
scoring average is matched by 
David Montgomery playing second 

1263
01:14:41,320 --> 01:14:44,680
fiddle to Jameer Gibbs. 
How to play it? 

1264
01:14:45,960 --> 01:14:48,760
In some ways, Brown is a pretty 
simple bet. 

1265
01:14:49,440 --> 01:14:51,280
You can point to the end of last
season. 

1266
01:14:51,840 --> 01:14:54,240
And what if we get that for the 
whole year? 

1267
01:14:54,840 --> 01:14:58,840
Over his final eight games last 
year, Brown averaged 20.75 

1268
01:14:58,840 --> 01:15:01,800
points per game. 
While that's technically not a 

1269
01:15:01,800 --> 01:15:05,760
legendary pace, it would still 
be an absolute smash in the mid 

1270
01:15:05,760 --> 01:15:08,800
second round. 
Encouragingly, Brown achieved 

1271
01:15:08,800 --> 01:15:11,320
this with 4.75 receptions per 
game. 

1272
01:15:11,920 --> 01:15:16,160
He was also on a 13 touchdown 
pace, which leaves room to the 

1273
01:15:16,160 --> 01:15:18,800
upside. 
But it's important to consider 

1274
01:15:18,840 --> 01:15:20,560
how Brown achieved these 
numbers. 

1275
01:15:20,880 --> 01:15:23,920
He was literally the only back 
seeing the field in Cincinnati. 

1276
01:15:24,280 --> 01:15:28,400
From Weeks 9 through 17, he 
averaged an 85% snap share and 

1277
01:15:28,400 --> 01:15:31,880
an 88% carry share. 
Last year, only Karen Williams, 

1278
01:15:31,880 --> 01:15:36,560
who had an 87% snap share, 
bested and 85% snap share, and 

1279
01:15:36,560 --> 01:15:40,000
Jonathan Taylor finished RB2 at 
just 80%. 

1280
01:15:40,600 --> 01:15:44,120
Taylor finished RB one and carry
share at just 77%. 

1281
01:15:44,680 --> 01:15:48,200
Again, Brown was at an 88% carry
share over those final eight 

1282
01:15:48,200 --> 01:15:50,960
games. 
Realistically, Brown is not 

1283
01:15:50,960 --> 01:15:53,880
going to completely dominate the
Bengals backfield like you did 

1284
01:15:53,880 --> 01:15:56,440
last year. 
We might not see a ton of Taj 

1285
01:15:56,440 --> 01:15:58,880
Brooks or Samaji Puran, but 
we're going to see more of them 

1286
01:15:59,240 --> 01:16:01,560
than we saw Zach Moss down the 
stretch last year. 

1287
01:16:02,040 --> 01:16:04,840
This means we need Brown to 
bring more efficiency to the 

1288
01:16:04,840 --> 01:16:08,960
table than he did last year. 
Brown was definitely solidly 

1289
01:16:08,960 --> 01:16:12,840
efficient. 
He finished RB20 with 67 rush 

1290
01:16:12,840 --> 01:16:18,640
roads over expected, RB21 with a
24% breakaway percentage, RB-17 

1291
01:16:18,960 --> 01:16:24,640
with a 63 elusive rating, RB20 
with 1.06 yards per route run, 

1292
01:16:25,080 --> 01:16:30,960
and RB31IN receiver rating. 
Basically he was Karen Williams 

1293
01:16:30,960 --> 01:16:34,560
with more juice, but even 
compared to someone like James 

1294
01:16:34,560 --> 01:16:39,400
Conner who was RB14RB11RB6RB5 
and RB-11 in those metrics, 

1295
01:16:40,200 --> 01:16:43,920
Chase was pretty lacking. 
If Chase gets the Kyron Williams

1296
01:16:43,920 --> 01:16:47,200
role again, wheels up. 
But the Kyron Williams role is a

1297
01:16:47,240 --> 01:16:51,000
rare thing, especially if a 
running back profiles is a solid

1298
01:16:51,000 --> 01:16:53,960
starter rather than a difference
making talent. 

1299
01:16:55,200 --> 01:16:58,880
When Chase Brown was going in 
Round 3, he made a lot of sense 

1300
01:16:59,000 --> 01:17:00,880
as a better version of the 
Chiron Bet. 

1301
01:17:01,160 --> 01:17:03,840
Now that he's moved into the 
middle of the second round, it's

1302
01:17:03,840 --> 01:17:06,400
harder to buy into last year's 
magical run as a sign of things 

1303
01:17:06,400 --> 01:17:09,280
to come, as opposed to yet 
another example of drafters 

1304
01:17:09,280 --> 01:17:12,080
being able to find underpriced 
running back production in the 

1305
01:17:12,080 --> 01:17:15,040
mid to late rounds. 
I'd love to hit on something in 

1306
01:17:15,040 --> 01:17:19,040
the vicinity of 2024 Chase Brown
production, but I'd like to see 

1307
01:17:19,040 --> 01:17:22,240
if I can do it without spending 
a second round pick on Chase 

1308
01:17:22,240 --> 01:17:24,760
Brown. 
Manage League recommendation 

1309
01:17:25,320 --> 01:17:31,080
Fade Devon A Chan Legendary 
scenario Devon A Chan's calf 

1310
01:17:31,080 --> 01:17:34,280
injury ends up being a very 
minor issue by the time Week 1 

1311
01:17:34,280 --> 01:17:36,680
rolls around. 
He doesn't see a huge rushing 

1312
01:17:36,680 --> 01:17:39,000
workload, but of course he 
rarely does. 

1313
01:17:39,400 --> 01:17:42,480
And critically, a Chan picks up 
where he left off last year as a

1314
01:17:42,480 --> 01:17:44,920
receiver. 
The Dolphins passing offense is 

1315
01:17:44,920 --> 01:17:47,720
healthier than in 2024. 
They are less dependent on the 

1316
01:17:47,720 --> 01:17:50,320
screen game and more willing to 
push the ball downfield. 

1317
01:17:50,800 --> 01:17:52,960
But this is still a Mike 
McDaniel offense. 

1318
01:17:53,240 --> 01:17:56,160
Screens and other design touches
remain an integral part of the 

1319
01:17:56,160 --> 01:18:00,280
attack, and with Jonny Smith no 
longer on the team, HN sees an 

1320
01:18:00,280 --> 01:18:02,840
even bigger share of the targets
than he did in 2024. 

1321
01:18:03,400 --> 01:18:05,800
In a shootout with the 
Commanders in Week 11, HN 

1322
01:18:05,800 --> 01:18:08,920
records 8 receptions for the 
third time in his career, going 

1323
01:18:08,960 --> 01:18:13,520
8 for 68 and one as a receiver 
with 13 rushes for 67 yards. 

1324
01:18:14,120 --> 01:18:17,240
He only gets in the end zone 
once, but still scores nearly 30

1325
01:18:17,240 --> 01:18:22,120
PPR points at 27.5. 
It's that kind of season for a 

1326
01:18:22,120 --> 01:18:26,640
Chan who averages 13 attempts 
per game, up from 11.9 in 2024, 

1327
01:18:26,640 --> 01:18:29,160
but still well below what we'd 
expect from a league winning 

1328
01:18:29,160 --> 01:18:31,840
running back. 
But a Chan is still wildly 

1329
01:18:31,840 --> 01:18:33,680
productive on a small rushing 
workload. 

1330
01:18:34,080 --> 01:18:38,200
He averages 5.5 yards per carry,
matching his career mark, while 

1331
01:18:38,200 --> 01:18:41,920
still being a yard better per 
carry than in 2024, when he was 

1332
01:18:41,920 --> 01:18:46,160
at 4.5. 
He can't quite recapture 2023's 

1333
01:18:46,160 --> 01:18:50,680
magical efficiency of 7.8 yards 
per carry, but he returns to 

1334
01:18:50,680 --> 01:18:53,920
being an explosive rushing 
threat, hoping to keep defenses 

1335
01:18:53,920 --> 01:18:56,280
honest by forcing them to 
respect the run. 

1336
01:18:56,880 --> 01:19:00,880
The Dolphins pass at a similar 
rate to 2024, the results are 

1337
01:19:00,880 --> 01:19:04,680
just much stronger. 
Terry Kill doesn't return to 

1338
01:19:04,680 --> 01:19:08,440
2023's outrageous form, but he 
and Jalen Waddle both have 

1339
01:19:08,440 --> 01:19:11,400
impressive bounce back season. 
With the Dolphins able to attack

1340
01:19:11,400 --> 01:19:14,760
downfield more effectively, 
there's more room for a chance 

1341
01:19:14,760 --> 01:19:16,800
to operate in the underneath 
receiving game. 

1342
01:19:17,160 --> 01:19:22,560
He posts 1.54 yards per outrun, 
improving on 2024's 1.45 mark. 

1343
01:19:23,200 --> 01:19:25,040
There are some worrying moments 
though. 

1344
01:19:25,800 --> 01:19:28,920
In Week 15. 
The Dolphins offensive line has 

1345
01:19:28,920 --> 01:19:32,560
a rough outing, which is more 
common than a Chan's fantasy 

1346
01:19:32,560 --> 01:19:35,440
managers would prefer. 
On the Dolphins final drive of 

1347
01:19:35,440 --> 01:19:38,760
the second quarter, TJ Watt 
drives to a tongue of Aloha to 

1348
01:19:38,760 --> 01:19:43,040
the turf on 1/3 and 8th sack as 
the Dolphins line up for a 41 

1349
01:19:43,040 --> 01:19:46,320
yard field goal With four 
seconds left on the clock, 2A 

1350
01:19:46,320 --> 01:19:48,960
heads into the locker room ahead
of the rest of the team. 

1351
01:19:49,840 --> 01:19:54,120
It's a long 15 minutes, but as 
the Dolphins exit the locker 

1352
01:19:54,120 --> 01:19:57,800
room, Tonga Bailoha has his 
helmet on and he jogs onto the 

1353
01:19:57,800 --> 01:19:59,560
field. 
After the Dolphins receive the 

1354
01:19:59,560 --> 01:20:03,160
second-half kick off, Zach 
Wilson looks as relieved as 

1355
01:20:03,160 --> 01:20:06,640
fantasy managers around the 
country who collectively exhale 

1356
01:20:06,720 --> 01:20:10,400
in unison. 
For a Chan, the Steelers game is

1357
01:20:10,400 --> 01:20:14,280
still a near disaster. 
He struggles to get going on the

1358
01:20:14,280 --> 01:20:18,600
ground, turning in just nine 
carries for 38 scoreless yards, 

1359
01:20:19,280 --> 01:20:21,720
but he saves his day with a 
fourth quarter screen pass, 

1360
01:20:21,920 --> 01:20:23,800
which he takes 35 yards for a 
score. 

1361
01:20:24,240 --> 01:20:26,600
It's his fourth receiving 
touchdown from more than 10 

1362
01:20:26,600 --> 01:20:29,760
yards out on the season, and his
sixth receiving touchdown of the

1363
01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:34,280
year with 21.3 PPR points. 
HN ultimately does more than 

1364
01:20:34,280 --> 01:20:37,080
enough to help his fantasy 
managers survive the first 

1365
01:20:37,080 --> 01:20:39,320
playoff week. 
Things get more fun the 

1366
01:20:39,320 --> 01:20:42,000
following week with Joe Cool in 
Miami. 

1367
01:20:42,600 --> 01:20:45,040
The Bengals defense isn't the 
outright disaster it was in 

1368
01:20:45,040 --> 01:20:48,320
2024, but it's not good and the 
Bengals understand that. 

1369
01:20:48,320 --> 01:20:52,320
Burroughs arm is their path to 
victory with a 52 point over 

1370
01:20:52,320 --> 01:20:54,200
under. 
This game lives up to his 

1371
01:20:54,200 --> 01:20:56,920
shootout potential. 
And with the Dolphins trailing 

1372
01:20:56,920 --> 01:21:00,280
by 1 score for much of the game,
a chance sets a new career high.

1373
01:21:00,280 --> 01:21:04,720
With 10 targets for 9 receptions
and 65 yards against Cincinnati,

1374
01:21:04,960 --> 01:21:07,240
he accumulates chunk gains as a 
receiver. 

1375
01:21:07,560 --> 01:21:10,320
He doesn't break any long 
catches or catch a touchdown, 

1376
01:21:10,720 --> 01:21:15,880
but HN does run one in from 46 
yards out, his third longest run

1377
01:21:15,880 --> 01:21:18,920
of the season and his fifth 
touchdown from more than 10 

1378
01:21:18,920 --> 01:21:22,840
yards away. 
The Dolphins can't close out the

1379
01:21:22,840 --> 01:21:25,040
game. 
Burrow marches the Bengals down 

1380
01:21:25,040 --> 01:21:27,920
the field late in the fourth 
quarter and Evan McPherson 

1381
01:21:27,920 --> 01:21:31,360
drills a 39 yard game winner 
with the clock expiring. 

1382
01:21:31,840 --> 01:21:34,800
But the Dolphins have renewed 
confidence that they can keep 

1383
01:21:34,800 --> 01:21:37,440
pace with anyone. 
When Baker Mayfield and the 

1384
01:21:37,440 --> 01:21:40,080
Buccaneers come to town the 
following week, the Dolphins 

1385
01:21:40,080 --> 01:21:42,200
don't mess around. 
They immediately drive down the 

1386
01:21:42,200 --> 01:21:45,160
field with HN punching in a six 
yard touchdown. 

1387
01:21:45,680 --> 01:21:48,320
Throughout the year, he's had to
deal with Ollie Gordon stealing 

1388
01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:51,600
some goal line looks, but it's 
still his seventh Green Zone 

1389
01:21:51,600 --> 01:21:53,440
touchdown. 
He makes it 8. 

1390
01:21:53,560 --> 01:21:57,200
Three quarters later, with three
minutes left on the clock, HN 

1391
01:21:57,200 --> 01:22:00,640
takes a swing pass 26 yards and 
is pushed out of bounds at the 1

1392
01:22:00,640 --> 01:22:03,120
yard line. 
Ollie Gordon prepares to enter 

1393
01:22:03,120 --> 01:22:04,840
the huddle, but HN waves him 
off. 

1394
01:22:05,480 --> 01:22:09,360
After the game, Mike McDaniel 
tells reporters opportunity is 

1395
01:22:09,360 --> 01:22:13,480
created when ownership overcomes
adversity within oneself. 

1396
01:22:14,160 --> 01:22:17,240
He was fired up. 
McDaniels signals for HN to stay

1397
01:22:17,240 --> 01:22:20,840
on the field and he seals a 
victory with A1 yard touchdown 

1398
01:22:20,840 --> 01:22:25,200
plunge, keeping Miami's playoff 
hopes alive. 2 weeks later, the 

1399
01:22:25,200 --> 01:22:27,600
Dolphins will lose by 18 in 
Denver, but they don't know that

1400
01:22:27,600 --> 01:22:30,080
yet. 
HN finishes the season with 

1401
01:22:30,080 --> 01:22:34,280
12116 rushing yards and 13 
rushing touchdowns, adding 82 

1402
01:22:34,560 --> 01:22:38,680
for 679 and 7 as a receiver on 
97 targets. 

1403
01:22:39,080 --> 01:22:43,040
His 23 PPR points per game 
easily win leagues from the late

1404
01:22:43,040 --> 01:22:45,800
first round for teams that 
scooped him in the late second 

1405
01:22:45,800 --> 01:22:48,560
round. 
The 2025 season is a walk in the

1406
01:22:48,560 --> 01:22:53,920
park silent killer scenario. 
In week 7 the Dolphins travel to

1407
01:22:53,920 --> 01:22:56,440
Cleveland. 
They are three-point underdogs. 

1408
01:22:57,000 --> 01:22:59,240
By this point in the season, 
teams have caught on to Mike 

1409
01:22:59,240 --> 01:23:02,080
Mcdaniel's newest offensive 
wrinkle, a pre snap motion 

1410
01:23:02,080 --> 01:23:05,880
concept dubbed Cheat Orbit. 
In the early weeks of the 

1411
01:23:05,880 --> 01:23:08,640
season, this new gimmick 
generates some big plays, but 

1412
01:23:08,640 --> 01:23:12,160
it's copied and implemented 
nearly league wide by week 3. 

1413
01:23:12,720 --> 01:23:15,320
Judging by Tuatonga by lowest 
disastrous performance against 

1414
01:23:15,320 --> 01:23:19,320
the charters in week 6, defenses
have now completely solved it. 

1415
01:23:20,280 --> 01:23:24,120
McDaniel has one more trick up 
his sleeve, putting his house up

1416
01:23:24,120 --> 01:23:26,320
for sale. 
But before doing that, just to 

1417
01:23:26,320 --> 01:23:30,800
be safe, he tries one last idea 
against the Browns. 

1418
01:23:31,120 --> 01:23:34,480
McDaniel eases up on the motion 
gimmicks and shifts to a 

1419
01:23:34,480 --> 01:23:39,040
genuinely old school power run 
game headed by Ollie Gordon. 

1420
01:23:40,200 --> 01:23:44,000
It's not like this hasn't been 
suggested in Week 4. 

1421
01:23:44,360 --> 01:23:47,440
Troy Aikman spends most of the 
Monday Night Football broadcast 

1422
01:23:47,440 --> 01:23:49,120
imploring the Dolphins to run 
the ball. 

1423
01:23:49,440 --> 01:23:52,520
The Dolphins squander their 
fourth quarter lead, vindication

1424
01:23:52,520 --> 01:23:55,320
for Aikman, but everyone has 
flipped over to the Manicas by 

1425
01:23:55,320 --> 01:23:58,040
then. 
But against the Browns, McDaniel

1426
01:23:58,040 --> 01:23:59,880
is willing to finally shift 
gears. 

1427
01:24:00,320 --> 01:24:04,480
Facing Miles Garrett and a weak 
Browns offense, McDaniel finally

1428
01:24:04,480 --> 01:24:07,480
drops the flash and grinds out 
yardage the hard way. 

1429
01:24:08,200 --> 01:24:11,520
Gordon is excellent. 
He handles 15 carries for 84 

1430
01:24:11,520 --> 01:24:14,520
yards and a touchdown, adding 
one for 12 as a receiver. 

1431
01:24:14,880 --> 01:24:19,240
And a Chan is even better. 
He turns 9 carries into 65 

1432
01:24:19,240 --> 01:24:21,920
yards, adding four for 26 as a 
receiver. 

1433
01:24:22,440 --> 01:24:26,400
But with just 13.1 PPR points, 
it's a disappointing fantasy 

1434
01:24:26,400 --> 01:24:28,760
day. 
This becomes a turning point of 

1435
01:24:28,760 --> 01:24:31,640
sorts for the Dolphins, who 
still miss the playoffs but play

1436
01:24:31,640 --> 01:24:33,120
competitive football down the 
stretch. 

1437
01:24:33,520 --> 01:24:37,000
For HN, it's not all that bad. 
He continues to turn an 

1438
01:24:37,000 --> 01:24:38,800
impressive efficiency throughout
the year. 

1439
01:24:39,040 --> 01:24:42,680
His 5.6 yards per carry is an 
improvement on his 5.6 career 

1440
01:24:42,680 --> 01:24:46,560
mark, and his 7.0 yards per 
target matches his rookie season

1441
01:24:46,560 --> 01:24:49,560
mark. 
But HN just does not have enough

1442
01:24:49,560 --> 01:24:52,920
volume to support his lofty 2025
ADP. 

1443
01:24:53,640 --> 01:24:59,120
He sees just 170 attempts 
rushing for 952 yards and the 

1444
01:24:59,120 --> 01:25:02,560
Dolphins new offensive approach 
limits him to just 48 

1445
01:25:02,560 --> 01:25:07,720
receptions, 2.8 per game for 420
yards and two touchdowns. 

1446
01:25:08,320 --> 01:25:10,880
His lack of opportunity is 
especially devastating at the 

1447
01:25:10,880 --> 01:25:14,360
goal line. 
He averages just 1.4 Green Zone 

1448
01:25:14,360 --> 01:25:17,400
attempts per game and scores 
just five touchdowns within the 

1449
01:25:17,400 --> 01:25:20,240
10 yard line. 
He adds 2 more from distance. 

1450
01:25:21,000 --> 01:25:25,360
For the season, HN averages just
13.4 PPR points per game. 

1451
01:25:25,880 --> 01:25:30,040
In Week 17, when he turns in 
just 12 PPR points with 90 

1452
01:25:30,040 --> 01:25:35,560
scoreless yards and three 
receptions, it seems normal how 

1453
01:25:35,560 --> 01:25:38,680
to play it. 
A Chan's preseason calf injury 

1454
01:25:38,960 --> 01:25:42,080
has caused his ADP to drop in 
the last week, he's fallen 

1455
01:25:42,080 --> 01:25:44,240
behind Derrick Henry and Chase 
Brown in main event. 

1456
01:25:44,240 --> 01:25:48,400
ADPI wouldn't be surprised to 
see him fall a bit further with 

1457
01:25:48,400 --> 01:25:51,120
drafters beginning to get 
excited about Ollie Gordon and 

1458
01:25:51,120 --> 01:25:53,520
with A Chan's timeline remaining
a bit murky. 

1459
01:25:54,160 --> 01:25:56,800
When A Chan was going at the 1-2
turn, I was having a hard time 

1460
01:25:56,800 --> 01:25:59,480
making the bet. 
We're talking about an RB who 

1461
01:25:59,480 --> 01:26:03,200
averaged just 12 carries per 
game last year and wasn't very 

1462
01:26:03,200 --> 01:26:06,680
good on that work. 
HN finished running back 45 of 

1463
01:26:06,680 --> 01:26:09,480
48 qualifying running backs in 
Rushords over expected last 

1464
01:26:09,480 --> 01:26:12,480
season, only Kareem Hunt and 
DeAndre Swift were worse. 

1465
01:26:12,880 --> 01:26:15,640
He's even worse in success rate,
besting only Swift. 

1466
01:26:16,240 --> 01:26:18,360
Other metrics tell a less 
concerning story, though. 

1467
01:26:18,800 --> 01:26:22,240
He finished running back 24 of 
36 in elusive rating with a mark

1468
01:26:22,240 --> 01:26:26,480
of 50 and running back nine in 
breakaway percentage with a 32% 

1469
01:26:26,480 --> 01:26:29,160
rate. 
Still, after flashing as a 

1470
01:26:29,160 --> 01:26:33,760
special runner in 2023, HN was 
deeply disappointing last year. 

1471
01:26:34,360 --> 01:26:37,280
He remains behind a weak 
offensive line and his running 

1472
01:26:37,280 --> 01:26:40,280
back competition is definitely 
more intriguing, if not better. 

1473
01:26:41,000 --> 01:26:44,160
But this time last year, we were
hoping to see HN take a step 

1474
01:26:44,160 --> 01:26:47,160
forward as receiver. 
And man did he ever. 

1475
01:26:47,520 --> 01:26:52,760
HN jumped from 2.5 receptions 
per game in 2024 to 4.6 last 

1476
01:26:52,760 --> 01:26:56,480
year, and he maintained strong 
efficiency, finishing RB6 with 

1477
01:26:56,480 --> 01:26:59,640
1.45 yards per outrun. 
Although he was just running 

1478
01:26:59,640 --> 01:27:04,400
back 32 in receiver rating, HN 
just LED all running backs with 

1479
01:27:04,400 --> 01:27:07,280
78 receptions. 
That's a big deal. 

1480
01:27:07,760 --> 01:27:10,960
Over the last five seasons, he's
one of only 6 running backs to 

1481
01:27:10,960 --> 01:27:14,880
hit 75 plus receptions, the 
other five being Austin Eckler 

1482
01:27:15,200 --> 01:27:22,840
at 107, Christian McCaffrey at 
85 in 2022, Bruce Hall at 76 and

1483
01:27:22,840 --> 01:27:28,320
Alvin Kamara at 75 in 2023 and 
Alvin Kamara at 88 and JD 

1484
01:27:28,320 --> 01:27:32,200
Mckissick at 80 in 2020. 
This kind of receiving usage 

1485
01:27:32,240 --> 01:27:35,880
isn't common, and while Ollie 
Gordon might cut into his 

1486
01:27:35,880 --> 01:27:39,520
rushing workload, he doesn't 
profile as someone who's going 

1487
01:27:39,520 --> 01:27:41,680
to eat into a Chan's receiving 
role. 

1488
01:27:42,200 --> 01:27:45,440
If anything, Jonny Smith's 
departure opens up more designed

1489
01:27:45,440 --> 01:27:49,440
looks for a Chan. 
And is Gordon, or right for that

1490
01:27:49,440 --> 01:27:52,600
matter, really that much of A 
threat on the ground? 

1491
01:27:53,280 --> 01:27:56,920
HN doesn't necessarily need a 
huge rushing role. 

1492
01:27:57,480 --> 01:28:00,280
If he can maintain his career 
rushing efficiency in last 

1493
01:28:00,280 --> 01:28:04,280
year's receiving role, he could 
become a legend on roughly 220 

1494
01:28:04,280 --> 01:28:06,600
carries. 
His profile has the potential to

1495
01:28:06,600 --> 01:28:09,920
be very fantasy friendly at his 
previous price. 

1496
01:28:09,920 --> 01:28:12,960
I was having a tough time 
getting on board with HN. 

1497
01:28:13,440 --> 01:28:16,240
The Dolphins are a hard team to 
believe in right now, and HN 

1498
01:28:16,240 --> 01:28:18,760
2024 has several concerning red 
flags. 

1499
01:28:19,320 --> 01:28:22,000
However, I'm willing to buy the 
injury discount if he falls 

1500
01:28:22,000 --> 01:28:25,120
behind other targets. 
Last week on ship chasing, we 

1501
01:28:25,120 --> 01:28:27,920
selected him at the two O 9 as 
RB-10. 

1502
01:28:28,680 --> 01:28:31,200
At that price, I'm willing to 
chase the upside. 

1503
01:28:31,880 --> 01:28:34,840
Manage the recommendation target
at a discount. 

1504
01:28:35,680 --> 01:28:40,480
Bucky Irving legendary scenario 
before boarding the plane to 

1505
01:28:40,480 --> 01:28:43,320
Atlanta in Week 1. 
The Buccaneers list. 

1506
01:28:43,320 --> 01:28:46,120
Rashad White is questionable on 
the final injury report. 

1507
01:28:46,720 --> 01:28:49,400
It's a formality. 
White practices in full on 

1508
01:28:49,400 --> 01:28:51,000
Friday. 
He's going to play. 

1509
01:28:51,920 --> 01:28:55,520
But White doesn't play much. 
He doesn't even see the field 

1510
01:28:55,520 --> 01:28:58,560
until the Buccaneers fifth 
series with Sean Tucker working 

1511
01:28:58,560 --> 01:29:01,120
in ahead of him. 
But Tucker isn't rotating in 

1512
01:29:01,120 --> 01:29:04,800
much either because Bucky Irving
dominates the snaps. 

1513
01:29:05,360 --> 01:29:09,240
Irving sees 69% of snaps 
matching his usage at the end of

1514
01:29:09,240 --> 01:29:12,040
2024. 
And Irving makes good use of his

1515
01:29:12,040 --> 01:29:15,760
playing time, rushing 17 times 
for 103 yards in a touchdown, 

1516
01:29:16,240 --> 01:29:18,400
adding four receptions for 23 
yards. 

1517
01:29:18,920 --> 01:29:21,280
After the game, when asked if 
Rashad White's health 

1518
01:29:21,280 --> 01:29:24,240
contributed to the backfield 
deployment, Bowles notes that 

1519
01:29:24,240 --> 01:29:27,560
players work back at different 
rates, but that they trust White

1520
01:29:27,560 --> 01:29:30,720
and want to see more of them. 
White practices in full ahead of

1521
01:29:30,720 --> 01:29:34,720
Week 2, then launched just a 30%
snap share against the Texans. 

1522
01:29:35,400 --> 01:29:39,200
It's the Bucky Irving show once 
again, who delivers another big 

1523
01:29:39,200 --> 01:29:42,880
workload with A6 reception, 65 
yard, one touchdown receiving 

1524
01:29:42,880 --> 01:29:46,920
line on top of 16 carries for 87
yards as a rusher. 

1525
01:29:47,600 --> 01:29:51,280
As the season progresses, the 
Bucks finally ease back Irving's

1526
01:29:51,280 --> 01:29:54,440
usage a bit, but everyone 
understands the reality here. 

1527
01:29:54,720 --> 01:29:58,400
This is Irving's backfield. 
Not everything goes perfectly, 

1528
01:29:58,400 --> 01:30:00,080
though. 
The Buccaneers aren't quite as 

1529
01:30:00,080 --> 01:30:02,600
effective under new offensive 
coordinator Josh Grizzard as 

1530
01:30:02,600 --> 01:30:06,480
they were under Liam Cohen. 
The offense sputters in a few 

1531
01:30:06,480 --> 01:30:10,360
key spots, most notably putting 
up just six points in a Week 12 

1532
01:30:10,360 --> 01:30:11,960
Sun and a football loss to the 
Rams. 

1533
01:30:12,680 --> 01:30:15,000
The Bucks also take some 
opportunities to lean on their 

1534
01:30:15,000 --> 01:30:17,280
other running backs as the 
season progresses. 

1535
01:30:17,600 --> 01:30:21,800
For example, in a Week 14 home 
win over the Saints, Sean Tucker

1536
01:30:21,920 --> 01:30:27,200
salts away the 18 point win with
Irving at 19 PPR points through 

1537
01:30:27,200 --> 01:30:29,480
3/4. 
It's not a devastating outcome, 

1538
01:30:29,480 --> 01:30:33,000
but still a frustrating one for 
fantasy managers looking to lock

1539
01:30:33,000 --> 01:30:37,240
up a playoff spot in Week 15. 
The Buccaneers prepare for their

1540
01:30:37,240 --> 01:30:40,960
matchup with the Falcons. 
Even with a couple of down weeks

1541
01:30:41,000 --> 01:30:44,240
and some missed opportunities, 
Irving is having a remarkable 

1542
01:30:44,240 --> 01:30:47,080
season. 
He's averaging 14.6 carries and 

1543
01:30:47,080 --> 01:30:52,520
4.4 receptions per game, 
totaling 1019 rushing yards, 506

1544
01:30:52,520 --> 01:30:55,280
receiving yards, and 11 
touchdowns through three games. 

1545
01:30:55,800 --> 01:31:00,400
At 21.2 PPR points per game, 
Irving is already a regular 

1546
01:31:00,400 --> 01:31:03,840
season hero. 
The question is if he can close 

1547
01:31:03,840 --> 01:31:07,040
out a legendary season in the 
fantasy playoffs. 

1548
01:31:07,920 --> 01:31:10,960
Michael Pennex is significantly 
more dangerous than he was when 

1549
01:31:10,960 --> 01:31:14,280
he lost to the Buccaneers in 
Week 1 and gets the Falcons out 

1550
01:31:14,280 --> 01:31:17,760
to an early lead in Tampa Bay. 
The Buccaneers, in a three-way 

1551
01:31:17,760 --> 01:31:20,440
fight for the division title, 
are on the back foot for the 

1552
01:31:20,440 --> 01:31:22,760
entire game and forced to the 
air. 

1553
01:31:23,240 --> 01:31:27,120
This leads to a career high 8 
receptions for Irving, who goes 

1554
01:31:27,280 --> 01:31:31,440
8 for 63 and 1 is a receiver in 
a critical game. 

1555
01:31:31,800 --> 01:31:34,960
Todd Bowles once again forgets 
about the rest of the backfield.

1556
01:31:35,360 --> 01:31:39,200
Irving dominates snaps and adds 
14 carries for 72 yards on the 

1557
01:31:39,200 --> 01:31:41,080
ground. 
Despite the negative game 

1558
01:31:41,080 --> 01:31:43,080
script. 
It's not enough for the Bucks 

1559
01:31:43,240 --> 01:31:47,200
who fall 34 to 31 to the 
Falcons, but it's a winning week

1560
01:31:47,200 --> 01:31:50,640
for Irving's fantasy managers. 
The Buccaneers then traveled to 

1561
01:31:50,640 --> 01:31:53,880
Carolina to face a Panthers team
that is coming off a 13 point 

1562
01:31:53,880 --> 01:31:56,560
win over the Saints. 
Not looking to repeat the 

1563
01:31:56,560 --> 01:31:59,440
previous week's shootout, the 
Buccaneers # the rock against 

1564
01:31:59,440 --> 01:32:01,920
the Panthers. 
Dominating time of possession on

1565
01:32:01,920 --> 01:32:04,640
the road. 
Irving powers the Bucks to a win

1566
01:32:04,800 --> 01:32:09,680
with 21 rushes for 115 yards and
a touchdown, adding three 

1567
01:32:09,680 --> 01:32:12,440
receptions for 28 yards as a 
receiver. 

1568
01:32:13,280 --> 01:32:16,280
The Bucks then travel to Miami 
to play a Dolphins team that is 

1569
01:32:16,280 --> 01:32:20,280
clinging to wild card hopes. 
Tampa Bay ends their season with

1570
01:32:20,280 --> 01:32:23,280
a dominant win. 
Irving is the engine of the 

1571
01:32:23,280 --> 01:32:26,640
offense, tying his career high 
with 25 rushing attempts. 

1572
01:32:26,960 --> 01:32:30,960
He rushes for 150 yards and two 
touchdowns, adding a 37 yard 

1573
01:32:30,960 --> 01:32:32,480
rushing touchdown in the third 
quarter. 

1574
01:32:32,760 --> 01:32:37,320
It's his seventh run of 30 plus 
yards, tying his rookie season 

1575
01:32:37,320 --> 01:32:40,440
mark. 
Irving also racks up 8 targets 

1576
01:32:40,440 --> 01:32:45,360
for 59 yards with 38.9 PPR 
points in Week 17. 

1577
01:32:45,600 --> 01:32:49,080
Irving secures a playoff spot 
for Tampa Bay as his fantasy 

1578
01:32:49,080 --> 01:32:53,480
managers fire the Cannons. 
Irving finishes with 5.1 yards 

1579
01:32:53,480 --> 01:32:57,840
per carry, down from 5.4 as a 
rookie, and he turns in 1.58 

1580
01:32:57,840 --> 01:33:01,000
yards per outrun, down from 1.62
as a rookie. 

1581
01:33:01,680 --> 01:33:06,960
But with 270 attempts and 75 
receptions for 2013 total yards 

1582
01:33:07,080 --> 01:33:10,560
and 19 total touchdowns, he 
still turns in a legendary 

1583
01:33:10,560 --> 01:33:15,320
season of 23 points per game. 
Silent killer scenario. 

1584
01:33:16,120 --> 01:33:19,360
It's important not to overreact 
to the first couple weeks of the

1585
01:33:19,360 --> 01:33:21,200
season. 
It's a long year. 

1586
01:33:21,720 --> 01:33:24,480
Talent wins out. 
This is the type of cope that 

1587
01:33:24,480 --> 01:33:26,720
Irving drafters roll out in 
early September. 

1588
01:33:27,360 --> 01:33:31,840
But reality sets in after Week 3
when the Bucks beat The Jets 24 

1589
01:33:31,840 --> 01:33:34,840
to 10 at home. 
With the Buccaneers in positive 

1590
01:33:34,840 --> 01:33:38,760
script for nearly the entire 
game, Irving drafters are hoping

1591
01:33:38,760 --> 01:33:42,000
for a major breakout. 
The good news is that for the 

1592
01:33:42,000 --> 01:33:46,480
first time in 2025, Irving hits 
15 plus carries. 

1593
01:33:47,080 --> 01:33:52,440
The bad news is that he turns 17
carries into just 72 scoreless 

1594
01:33:52,440 --> 01:33:57,200
yards with two catches for 14 
yards, which should have been a 

1595
01:33:57,200 --> 01:34:01,240
breakout game yields just 10.6 
PPR points. 

1596
01:34:02,000 --> 01:34:05,160
Part of the problem is that Sean
Tucker mixes in more as the 

1597
01:34:05,160 --> 01:34:08,280
Buccaneers lead builds. 
Another issue is that Rashad 

1598
01:34:08,280 --> 01:34:10,920
White, now healthy, has resumed 
his receiving role. 

1599
01:34:11,680 --> 01:34:13,440
But Irving is to blame here, 
too. 

1600
01:34:14,000 --> 01:34:16,960
After looking shot out of a 
cannon in 2024, Irving's 

1601
01:34:16,960 --> 01:34:20,720
explosiveness in 2025 is more in
line with his wrasse. 

1602
01:34:21,200 --> 01:34:24,800
And look, I know you know his 
Relative Athletic score is bad, 

1603
01:34:25,720 --> 01:34:28,600
but did you remember that it's 
2.22? 

1604
01:34:29,440 --> 01:34:34,160
Because it's 2.22. 
After averaging 5.4 yards per 

1605
01:34:34,160 --> 01:34:38,360
carry as a rookie, Irving drops 
to 4.2, matching Tony Pollard in

1606
01:34:38,360 --> 01:34:40,960
2024. 
He doesn't embarrass himself as 

1607
01:34:40,960 --> 01:34:42,920
a runner, he's just not anything
special. 

1608
01:34:42,920 --> 01:34:45,840
In his second season as a 
receiver, Irving is hurt more by

1609
01:34:45,840 --> 01:34:48,640
new offensive coordinator Josh 
Grizard than by Rashad White. 

1610
01:34:49,000 --> 01:34:51,440
Grizard is very focused on 
Mayfield driving the ball 

1611
01:34:51,440 --> 01:34:55,720
downfield, taking advantage of 
Mike Evans and Emeka Ibuka, who 

1612
01:34:56,000 --> 01:34:58,280
hits the ground running as an 
instant star. 

1613
01:34:58,760 --> 01:35:01,680
This approach is cemented when 
Chris Godwin returns to a full 

1614
01:35:01,680 --> 01:35:06,120
time role after the Buccaneers 
Week 9 by Godwin made his 2025 

1615
01:35:06,120 --> 01:35:09,360
debut back in Week 4, but he 
ramps up gradually. 

1616
01:35:09,720 --> 01:35:12,880
By Week 10 against New England, 
though, Godwin is back to his 

1617
01:35:12,880 --> 01:35:15,680
normal self. 
Grizard is rotating Godwin and 

1618
01:35:15,680 --> 01:35:19,400
Abuka in the slot, putting Mike 
Evans in motion and generally 

1619
01:35:19,400 --> 01:35:21,400
stressing Mike Vrabel out in 
this game. 

1620
01:35:21,920 --> 01:35:24,320
Irving actually sees his 
receiving role shrink down the 

1621
01:35:24,320 --> 01:35:26,800
stretch, as Mayfield isn't 
looking to throw to his running 

1622
01:35:26,800 --> 01:35:30,120
back on 1st and 2nd down very 
often and White tends to play in

1623
01:35:30,120 --> 01:35:33,400
obvious passing situations. 
Irving finishes the year with 40

1624
01:35:33,400 --> 01:35:37,480
receptions for 300 yards and one
reception, finishing with fewer 

1625
01:35:37,480 --> 01:35:41,600
receptions than he did in 2024 
when he had 47 and fewer yards 

1626
01:35:41,880 --> 01:35:45,240
when he had 392. 
He does score his first 

1627
01:35:45,240 --> 01:35:48,400
receiving touchdown, at least on
an 8 yard screen pass against 

1628
01:35:48,400 --> 01:35:52,400
the Saints in Week 8. 
Irving scores just 12.5 PPR 

1629
01:35:52,400 --> 01:35:55,520
points per game, down from 14.4 
as a rookie. 

1630
01:35:55,920 --> 01:35:58,040
He becomes just the latest 
second year player to be 

1631
01:35:58,040 --> 01:36:01,760
anointed as a future star and 
perform like a future backup. 

1632
01:36:02,280 --> 01:36:05,800
Fantasy players surely take this
lesson to heart and only draft 

1633
01:36:05,800 --> 01:36:08,880
proven starters in the top three
rounds of 2026 drafts, right? 

1634
01:36:09,600 --> 01:36:12,240
They do not. 
After an unsustainably efficient

1635
01:36:12,240 --> 01:36:16,000
6 game run to close out the 
year, Bashal Tooten starts 2026 

1636
01:36:16,000 --> 01:36:19,360
drafts as the 211. 
How to play it? 

1637
01:36:20,440 --> 01:36:24,440
Bucky Irving is overtly risky. 
It's very easy to imagine how he

1638
01:36:24,440 --> 01:36:27,720
doesn't work out as a second 
round fantasy bet given his 

1639
01:36:27,720 --> 01:36:31,640
limited sample, smaller frame, 
and poor timed athleticism. 

1640
01:36:32,280 --> 01:36:34,920
But the thing about early round 
running backs is that every 

1641
01:36:34,920 --> 01:36:37,000
running back is riskier than 
they seem. 

1642
01:36:37,400 --> 01:36:42,000
We're swinging for upside here, 
and with Irving we get a 23 year

1643
01:36:42,000 --> 01:36:45,280
old back running behind one of 
the best offensive lines in 

1644
01:36:45,280 --> 01:36:49,000
football attached to an 
efficient passing offense, and 

1645
01:36:49,000 --> 01:36:53,960
we're getting a player who on an
actual NFL field, has looked 

1646
01:36:53,960 --> 01:36:58,760
incredibly explosive. 
Irving put up 186 rush yards 

1647
01:36:58,760 --> 01:37:02,800
over expected as a rookie, just 
behind Jonathan Taylor and Bijon

1648
01:37:02,800 --> 01:37:08,520
Robinson who had 194 and 199. 
Among running backs with 125 

1649
01:37:08,520 --> 01:37:11,520
plus carries, only Derrick 
Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jordan 

1650
01:37:11,520 --> 01:37:15,480
Mason and Chuba Hubbard were 
better on a per attempt basis. 

1651
01:37:16,160 --> 01:37:20,080
Irving also posted a 35% 
breakaway percentage, RB6 behind

1652
01:37:20,080 --> 01:37:24,760
Saquon Barkley at 44%, Derrick 
Henry at 42%, Jamir Gibbs at 

1653
01:37:24,760 --> 01:37:29,320
42%, Jordan Mason at 37% and 
Jonathan Taylor at 36%. 

1654
01:37:29,920 --> 01:37:33,920
Irving was RB3 with 107 elusive 
rating behind Kenneth Walker at 

1655
01:37:33,920 --> 01:37:39,840
110 and Tank Bigsby at 107. 
Irving finished RB4 with 1.62 

1656
01:37:39,840 --> 01:37:44,000
yards per route run behind David
Montgomery at 2.16, Alvin Kamara

1657
01:37:44,000 --> 01:37:47,320
at 1.75 and Jameer Gibbs at 
1.69. 

1658
01:37:48,200 --> 01:37:52,040
He also finished RB2IN ESP NS 
receiver rating behind Austin 

1659
01:37:52,040 --> 01:37:55,720
Eckler. 
You can have Irving's 2.22 Ras. 

1660
01:37:56,240 --> 01:37:58,600
I'll take his elite rookie 
season efficiency. 

1661
01:37:59,560 --> 01:38:03,640
If he looks anything like last 
year, he's going to finish what 

1662
01:38:03,640 --> 01:38:07,480
he started and take full control
of the Buccaneers backfield. 

1663
01:38:08,040 --> 01:38:10,520
Rashad White has little chance 
of stopping the player we saw 

1664
01:38:10,520 --> 01:38:13,760
last year under the best of 
circumstances and is currently 

1665
01:38:13,760 --> 01:38:17,400
recovering from a groin injury. 
And it's not just that Irving 

1666
01:38:17,400 --> 01:38:21,160
was excellent last year. 
It's that for Irving to become a

1667
01:38:21,160 --> 01:38:24,480
legendary running back, we need 
his receiving role to grow. 

1668
01:38:25,240 --> 01:38:28,640
Looking at previous legendary 
seasons, we know that the best 

1669
01:38:28,640 --> 01:38:31,680
time to bet on an RB to do this 
is Year 2. 

1670
01:38:32,160 --> 01:38:35,360
This is when running backs 
actually tend to take on more in

1671
01:38:35,360 --> 01:38:37,320
the receiving game. 
This makes sense. 

1672
01:38:37,320 --> 01:38:38,840
They've just had their full 
offseason. 

1673
01:38:39,080 --> 01:38:41,840
They understand the system and 
are able to focus on refining 

1674
01:38:41,840 --> 01:38:43,880
their game to stay on the field 
more often. 

1675
01:38:44,840 --> 01:38:48,000
Given Irving's overall 
excellence and receiving game 

1676
01:38:48,000 --> 01:38:51,720
promise, he's exactly the type 
of player we should expect the 

1677
01:38:51,720 --> 01:38:53,600
Bucks to utilize more going 
forward. 

1678
01:38:54,280 --> 01:38:57,160
With White being a capable 
receiver, Irving's path to four 

1679
01:38:57,160 --> 01:39:00,960
plus receptions per game is 
definitely a little thin, but 

1680
01:39:01,040 --> 01:39:04,600
like as a runner last year, he 
could prove capable of forcing 

1681
01:39:04,600 --> 01:39:08,080
the Buccaneers hand. 
The last issue here is touchdown

1682
01:39:08,080 --> 01:39:10,360
scoring. 
Touchdown scoring is a huge part

1683
01:39:10,360 --> 01:39:15,080
of hitting legendary ceiling and
at 195 lbs Irving is undersized.

1684
01:39:15,600 --> 01:39:18,520
But in Irving's last four games 
last year, when he finally had 

1685
01:39:18,520 --> 01:39:21,880
control of the Buccaneers 
backfield, he saw 9 Green Zone 

1686
01:39:21,880 --> 01:39:26,720
opportunities, or 2.25 per game.
We're looking for a path to two 

1687
01:39:26,720 --> 01:39:29,200
per game. 
Irving isn't a perfect bet. 

1688
01:39:29,520 --> 01:39:32,720
He requires a leap of faith that
last year was the real deal, and

1689
01:39:32,720 --> 01:39:35,640
if so, that the Bucks are 
willing to believe what's in 

1690
01:39:35,640 --> 01:39:38,680
front of their eyes. 
But this is a leap of faith I'm 

1691
01:39:38,680 --> 01:39:41,000
willing to make. 
Manage league recommendation 

1692
01:39:41,440 --> 01:39:45,520
target Jonathan Taylor. 
Legendary scenario. 

1693
01:39:46,400 --> 01:39:48,720
Shane Steiken spent his 
offseason studying tape. 

1694
01:39:49,320 --> 01:39:52,760
Fresh off a Peloton workout and 
a black cup of coffee, Steiken 

1695
01:39:52,760 --> 01:39:55,120
would throw on film and 
breakdown plays for hours. 

1696
01:39:55,800 --> 01:39:57,360
But he wasn't watching the 
Colts. 

1697
01:39:57,640 --> 01:40:00,920
He's not a masochist. 
Rather, Steiken was scrutinizing

1698
01:40:00,920 --> 01:40:03,200
his former team. 
He was studying the Eagles 

1699
01:40:03,200 --> 01:40:07,280
deployment of Saquon Barkley. 
As the Colts offensive identity 

1700
01:40:07,280 --> 01:40:10,440
solidifies over the early weeks 
of the season, it becomes clear 

1701
01:40:10,440 --> 01:40:13,680
why Steiken chose Daniel Jones 
as his starting quarterback. 

1702
01:40:14,080 --> 01:40:16,680
This offense isn't about the 
quarterback. 

1703
01:40:17,360 --> 01:40:20,880
Steichen needs a signal caller 
who can execute the basics, who 

1704
01:40:20,880 --> 01:40:24,760
can keep defenses at least 
somewhat honest by hitting one 

1705
01:40:24,760 --> 01:40:28,480
of several wide open receivers 
on a semi regular basis. 

1706
01:40:29,280 --> 01:40:33,240
Jones proves up to the task, 
turning in deeply uninspiring 

1707
01:40:33,240 --> 01:40:36,720
play but just good enough to 
keep the offense on the tracks. 

1708
01:40:37,360 --> 01:40:40,400
Jonathan Taylor is a freight 
train barreling through opposing

1709
01:40:40,400 --> 01:40:43,800
defenses. 
Taylor averages 20.3 carries per

1710
01:40:43,800 --> 01:40:47,960
game, a significant drop from 
2024 when he had 21.6. 

1711
01:40:48,440 --> 01:40:51,880
But for the second time in his 
career, Taylor plays an entire 

1712
01:40:51,880 --> 01:40:55,040
season, up from 14 games in 
2024. 

1713
01:40:55,760 --> 01:41:00,600
He racks up a ridiculous 345 
carries exactly, matching Saquon

1714
01:41:00,600 --> 01:41:04,080
Barkley's 2024 regular season 
total, which he achieved in only

1715
01:41:04,080 --> 01:41:07,280
16 games. 
In the running game, Taylor 

1716
01:41:07,280 --> 01:41:10,080
operates as the Colts version of
Barkley, but in the passing 

1717
01:41:10,080 --> 01:41:13,720
game, things diverge slightly. 
This is one of the reasons why 

1718
01:41:13,720 --> 01:41:16,520
Daniel Jones turns out to be 
critical to Taylor's success. 

1719
01:41:16,960 --> 01:41:20,080
Jones isn't great for Taylor's 
receiving volume, but he can 

1720
01:41:20,080 --> 01:41:22,200
execute screens and throw a 
decent check down. 

1721
01:41:22,640 --> 01:41:25,920
This enables Taylor to return to
his early career receiving role.

1722
01:41:26,520 --> 01:41:30,880
In his legendary 2021 season, 
Taylor totaled 40 receptions in 

1723
01:41:30,880 --> 01:41:34,440
17 games. 
In 2025, he sets a new career 

1724
01:41:34,440 --> 01:41:37,840
high with 45. 
There's a rocky stretch, though.

1725
01:41:38,320 --> 01:41:41,080
Early in Week 8, Daniel Jones 
pulls up on a scramble and 

1726
01:41:41,080 --> 01:41:43,720
hobbles to the sideline. 
Jones is listed as questionable 

1727
01:41:43,720 --> 01:41:47,160
to return, but he never does. 
Instead, Anthony Richardson 

1728
01:41:47,160 --> 01:41:49,360
takes over. 
His main responsibility is 

1729
01:41:49,360 --> 01:41:52,920
handing the ball off to Taylor, 
who handles 34 carries, tying 

1730
01:41:52,920 --> 01:41:56,000
his 2024 season high. 
The Colts escape with a narrow 

1731
01:41:56,000 --> 01:41:59,440
victory over the Titans. 
Jones gets in a limited practice

1732
01:41:59,440 --> 01:42:01,120
the following day, but he's not 
ready. 

1733
01:42:01,720 --> 01:42:04,640
Richardson starts in Pittsburgh.
Steiken tries his best to 

1734
01:42:04,640 --> 01:42:07,760
operate a modern offense, but if
anything, Richardson is even 

1735
01:42:07,760 --> 01:42:09,840
less accurate than he was in 
2024. 

1736
01:42:10,400 --> 01:42:12,560
Taylor is the only bright spot 
for the Colts. 

1737
01:42:12,640 --> 01:42:15,560
He handles 32 carries, matching 
his second highest total from 

1738
01:42:15,560 --> 01:42:18,920
2024, and rushes for 134 yards 
in a touchdown. 

1739
01:42:19,360 --> 01:42:23,600
The game is an absolute slog 
though, a brutal chore for fans 

1740
01:42:23,600 --> 01:42:27,280
and players alike that ends in a
12 to 7 Steelers victory. 

1741
01:42:27,920 --> 01:42:29,560
Arthur Smith has never been 
happier. 

1742
01:42:30,440 --> 01:42:33,160
Ahead of Week 10's matchup 
against the Falcons, Daniel 

1743
01:42:33,160 --> 01:42:36,120
Jones is once again limited and 
the Colts opt to hold him out 

1744
01:42:36,120 --> 01:42:38,160
again. 
The only highlight from this 

1745
01:42:38,160 --> 01:42:41,440
game is the Berlin crowds 
rendition of Take Me Home 

1746
01:42:41,440 --> 01:42:44,360
Country Roads. 
Richardson is an absolute mess 

1747
01:42:44,640 --> 01:42:46,960
and Taylor is held to 76 
scoreless yards. 

1748
01:42:47,200 --> 01:42:50,720
The Falcons look jet lagged, 
scoring just 13 points, but it's

1749
01:42:50,720 --> 01:42:54,240
enough to get the victory. 
Mercifully, the Colts head into 

1750
01:42:54,240 --> 01:42:57,680
their Week 11 by the plan for 
the stretch run is now crystal 

1751
01:42:57,680 --> 01:42:59,840
clear. 
Daniel Jones is starting every 

1752
01:42:59,840 --> 01:43:01,440
game. 
He's healthy enough to play. 

1753
01:43:02,240 --> 01:43:04,760
Jones retakes the field in Week 
12, and the Colts are frisky 

1754
01:43:04,760 --> 01:43:06,840
again. 
They still lose 25 to 20 to the 

1755
01:43:06,840 --> 01:43:08,800
Chiefs, but the offense is 
functional. 

1756
01:43:08,800 --> 01:43:12,320
At least in the weeks that 
follow, the Colts are able to 

1757
01:43:12,320 --> 01:43:15,960
recapture their Eagles light 
form, rattling off wins against 

1758
01:43:15,960 --> 01:43:17,960
the Texans, Jaguars and 
Seahawks. 

1759
01:43:18,520 --> 01:43:21,760
When the Colts host the Jaguars 
in Week 17, they are in the 

1760
01:43:21,760 --> 01:43:25,200
playoff tiebreaker lottery, 
meaning to win out and for a few

1761
01:43:25,200 --> 01:43:28,200
other things to break their way.
With the season on the line, 

1762
01:43:28,520 --> 01:43:31,720
Steichen thinks back to his 
offseason mornings, watching an 

1763
01:43:31,720 --> 01:43:34,320
elite run game win on the 
biggest stage. 

1764
01:43:35,000 --> 01:43:38,400
He calls in the first play. 
Jonathan Taylor plunges into the

1765
01:43:38,400 --> 01:43:40,600
line. 
He spins off Trayvon Walker, 

1766
01:43:40,720 --> 01:43:44,720
stutter steps, explodes past 
Yasser Abdullah, and he's gone 

1767
01:43:45,200 --> 01:43:48,960
65 yards to the house. 
Taylor is channeling memories, 

1768
01:43:48,960 --> 01:43:52,560
too, unhappy ones. 
He's never forgotten his last 

1769
01:43:52,560 --> 01:43:54,720
game against the Jags with a 
playoff berth on the line. 

1770
01:43:55,160 --> 01:43:59,000
The 26 to 11 loss that ended the
Carson Wentz era started the 

1771
01:43:59,000 --> 01:44:03,040
ill-fated Matt Ryan experience 
and eventually somehow led to 

1772
01:44:03,040 --> 01:44:05,920
him playing for Jeff Saturday. 
Never again. 

1773
01:44:06,720 --> 01:44:10,200
Taylor turns 29 carries into 187
yards and two scores. 

1774
01:44:10,600 --> 01:44:13,880
He sees just one target, but he 
turns a delightfully accurate 

1775
01:44:13,880 --> 01:44:18,880
screen pass into a 21 yard 
touchdown with 39.8 PPR points. 

1776
01:44:19,280 --> 01:44:22,440
Taylor powers the Colts to a win
and for the drafters who hopped 

1777
01:44:22,440 --> 01:44:25,440
on board, punches tickets to 
fantasy glory. 

1778
01:44:27,520 --> 01:44:30,920
Silent killer scenario. 
The 2025 cults are built around 

1779
01:44:30,920 --> 01:44:33,720
Jonathan Taylor feeding the 
franchise running back as much 

1780
01:44:33,720 --> 01:44:35,440
as they can. 
The only issue? 

1781
01:44:36,040 --> 01:44:39,240
They're playing in 2025, not 
1995. 

1782
01:44:39,760 --> 01:44:42,200
There's only so many rushing 
attempts they can realistically 

1783
01:44:42,200 --> 01:44:45,240
give Taylor given how poorly 
their quarterback situation 

1784
01:44:45,240 --> 01:44:47,920
works out. 
The Colts know it's going to be 

1785
01:44:47,920 --> 01:44:51,080
a long season. 
Right away is Daniel Jones is 

1786
01:44:51,080 --> 01:44:54,560
strip sacked for the second time
against the Dolphins in Week 1. 

1787
01:44:55,120 --> 01:44:59,680
The idea of choosing Jones for 
his situational awareness starts

1788
01:44:59,680 --> 01:45:02,480
to look pretty asinine. 
Shane Stikon quickly becomes 

1789
01:45:02,480 --> 01:45:05,440
known as a coach who can't 
develop a young quarterback or 

1790
01:45:05,440 --> 01:45:07,440
deliver on a reclamation 
project. 

1791
01:45:08,160 --> 01:45:11,520
The Colts move on from Stikon 
during their Week 11 by Stikon 

1792
01:45:11,520 --> 01:45:14,720
eventually lands on his feet as 
a senior offensive consultant in

1793
01:45:14,720 --> 01:45:17,560
Arizona. 
The Colts replaced Stikon by 

1794
01:45:17,560 --> 01:45:19,080
promoting their wide receivers 
coach. 

1795
01:45:20,280 --> 01:45:23,400
The situation doesn't get any 
better under interim head coach 

1796
01:45:23,440 --> 01:45:26,520
Reggie Wayne. 
Anthony Richardson returns to 

1797
01:45:26,520 --> 01:45:29,360
the line up for a while, but 
it's Riley Leonard who closes 

1798
01:45:29,360 --> 01:45:32,200
out the season for the Colts. 
The directive from ownership is 

1799
01:45:32,200 --> 01:45:36,000
very clear at this point. 
Wayne overseas the most glorious

1800
01:45:36,000 --> 01:45:40,120
7 game losing streak in NFL 
history, securing the number one

1801
01:45:40,120 --> 01:45:44,560
overall pick in the 2026 NFL 
Draft in an effort to keep their

1802
01:45:44,560 --> 01:45:46,640
tank job from looking too 
egregious. 

1803
01:45:47,160 --> 01:45:49,920
Taylor continues to see plenty 
of work, but defenses know 

1804
01:45:49,920 --> 01:45:52,840
exactly what's coming. 
Limiting his ability to hit big 

1805
01:45:52,840 --> 01:45:56,440
plays and with the Colts 
severely limiting pass volume, 

1806
01:45:56,800 --> 01:46:01,280
Taylor turns in just an 18 
reception and 138 receiving line

1807
01:46:01,280 --> 01:46:04,480
with 0 touchdowns. 
It's his second season in a row 

1808
01:46:04,480 --> 01:46:07,440
with just 18 receptions, 
although he plays three more 

1809
01:46:07,440 --> 01:46:11,480
games than in 2024 by sheer 
force of will. 

1810
01:46:11,760 --> 01:46:15,640
Taylor averages 4.9 yards per 
carry, matching his career 

1811
01:46:15,640 --> 01:46:18,160
average, but he scores just 8 
touchdowns. 

1812
01:46:18,800 --> 01:46:21,520
Given the state of the offense, 
even that feels impressive. 

1813
01:46:22,400 --> 01:46:26,520
With 289 more carries added to 
his career tally, it's hard not 

1814
01:46:26,520 --> 01:46:30,240
to feel like 2025 was nothing 
but pointless punishment for one

1815
01:46:30,240 --> 01:46:32,000
of the most talented running 
backs in football. 

1816
01:46:32,440 --> 01:46:35,640
Only Saquon Barkley, Derrick 
Henry and Bijan Robinson see 

1817
01:46:35,640 --> 01:46:39,600
more carries in 2025. 
The problem is those players are

1818
01:46:39,600 --> 01:46:43,640
fantasy hits, while Taylor turns
in just 13 PPR points per game. 

1819
01:46:44,640 --> 01:46:48,400
As rough as the 2025 season is 
for Colts fans, it's ultimately 

1820
01:46:48,400 --> 01:46:52,760
the best case scenario. 
Seeing an offense at #1 ready 

1821
01:46:52,760 --> 01:46:55,840
made for a franchise quarterback
and tailor made for a Manning 

1822
01:46:56,320 --> 01:46:58,280
arch tails his grandpa to pipe 
down. 

1823
01:46:58,520 --> 01:47:02,160
Declaring for the 2026 NFL 
Draft, Jonathan Taylor 

1824
01:47:02,360 --> 01:47:04,840
immediately jumps to the 1-2 
turn of fantasy drafts, 

1825
01:47:05,200 --> 01:47:09,120
eventually settling in as the 
One O 8 in 2026 drafts. 

1826
01:47:10,720 --> 01:47:13,160
How to play it? 
Jonathan Taylor is now Four 

1827
01:47:13,160 --> 01:47:16,560
Seasons removed from his 
legendary 2021 season, a season 

1828
01:47:16,560 --> 01:47:20,680
driven by insane rushing 
production, 332 carries for 

1829
01:47:20,680 --> 01:47:25,840
18111 yards and 18 touchdowns. 
But in 2021, Taylor also 

1830
01:47:25,840 --> 01:47:29,720
benefited from decent receiving 
usage, with 40 receptions for 

1831
01:47:29,720 --> 01:47:32,520
360 yards and two receiving 
touchdowns. 

1832
01:47:33,240 --> 01:47:36,440
That kind of receiving usage is 
still possible for Taylor if 

1833
01:47:36,440 --> 01:47:39,920
Daniel Jones can hold the job. 
Last year, in six games with Joe

1834
01:47:39,920 --> 01:47:42,760
Flacco, Taylor was on pace for 
34 receptions. 

1835
01:47:43,040 --> 01:47:45,960
If he can hit 40 plus with 
Daniel Jones, a legendary season

1836
01:47:45,960 --> 01:47:49,880
is genuinely possible. 
At 26 years old, Taylor still 

1837
01:47:49,880 --> 01:47:52,280
profiles is one of the league's 
premier runners. 

1838
01:47:52,880 --> 01:47:56,280
He's coming off a season with 
194 rush roads over expected and

1839
01:47:56,280 --> 01:47:59,800
a 36% breakaway percentage. 
Shane Steiken is highly 

1840
01:47:59,800 --> 01:48:03,920
incentivized to win games. 
If he doesn't, he's not going to

1841
01:48:03,920 --> 01:48:07,440
be coaching the Colts next year,
and he fully understands that 

1842
01:48:07,440 --> 01:48:09,440
Taylor is his best path to 
getting there. 

1843
01:48:10,040 --> 01:48:12,520
He also seems convinced that 
having Jones under center is 

1844
01:48:12,520 --> 01:48:15,720
critical as well, which provides
a significant boost to Taylor's 

1845
01:48:15,720 --> 01:48:18,000
receiving profile compared to 
playing alongside Anthony 

1846
01:48:18,000 --> 01:48:20,760
Richardson. 
At the same time, do we really 

1847
01:48:20,760 --> 01:48:22,520
want to pin our hopes on Daniel 
Jones? 

1848
01:48:23,520 --> 01:48:25,120
Shane's only doing it because he
has to. 

1849
01:48:25,720 --> 01:48:28,760
We have options. 
In many ways, Taylor's setup is 

1850
01:48:28,760 --> 01:48:31,360
similar to last year's. 
He has to turn in incredible 

1851
01:48:31,360 --> 01:48:35,280
rushing production and even then
is likely to fall well short of 

1852
01:48:35,280 --> 01:48:38,400
a legendary season. 
The dude just posted 4.7 yards 

1853
01:48:38,400 --> 01:48:42,960
per carry on 303 carries while 
also scoring 12 total touchdowns

1854
01:48:43,480 --> 01:48:46,800
and only had 17.6 PPR points per
game. 

1855
01:48:47,560 --> 01:48:51,240
Taylor is a very talented rusher
in his prime whose team has no 

1856
01:48:51,240 --> 01:48:54,880
choice but to feed him, but his 
path to a legendary season rests

1857
01:48:54,880 --> 01:48:58,240
on Daniel Jones not cratering or
Anthony Richardson learning how 

1858
01:48:58,240 --> 01:49:00,120
to throw. 
It's thin. 

1859
01:49:00,680 --> 01:49:04,200
Last week on Ship Chasing, we 
selected Jonathan Taylor at 2:11

1860
01:49:04,200 --> 01:49:07,480
in the FFPC main event, so I'm 
clearly not out on him. 

1861
01:49:07,920 --> 01:49:10,080
However, some tournament 
specific elements of the main 

1862
01:49:10,080 --> 01:49:12,320
event make the Taylor selection 
a bit more appealing. 

1863
01:49:12,760 --> 01:49:15,800
The FFPC is a very running back 
heavy format given the ability 

1864
01:49:15,800 --> 01:49:17,160
to play running backs in the 
flex. 

1865
01:49:17,600 --> 01:49:19,960
This makes running backs 
objectively more valuable, but 

1866
01:49:19,960 --> 01:49:23,280
also creates a market where 
people just do not stop taking 

1867
01:49:23,280 --> 01:49:25,640
running backs. 
This is a draft where Austin 

1868
01:49:25,640 --> 01:49:28,160
Eckler went in the 10th round 
and Nick Chubb went in the 11th,

1869
01:49:28,720 --> 01:49:31,440
so we sometimes break ties to 
running backs when the 

1870
01:49:31,440 --> 01:49:34,960
positional value is close. 
The FFPC also has a 12 week 

1871
01:49:34,960 --> 01:49:37,880
regular season, placing a 
greater emphasis on getting off 

1872
01:49:37,880 --> 01:49:41,320
to a fast start, another reason 
to break ties to a highly 

1873
01:49:41,360 --> 01:49:45,240
projectable player like Taylor. 
Taylor's breakaway ability also 

1874
01:49:45,240 --> 01:49:49,680
creates a high ceiling. 
Last year he hit 39.8 PPR points

1875
01:49:49,960 --> 01:49:53,480
in week 16 without seeing a 
single target. 

1876
01:49:54,160 --> 01:49:56,520
Taylor's lack of a consistent 
receiving role make him less 

1877
01:49:56,520 --> 01:50:00,360
consistent and make it harder 
for him to access his ceiling, 

1878
01:50:00,920 --> 01:50:04,160
but he can still put up single 
week spikes with the best of 

1879
01:50:04,160 --> 01:50:06,200
them. 
This is an important 

1880
01:50:06,200 --> 01:50:08,400
consideration for the main 
event, which ends in a 

1881
01:50:08,400 --> 01:50:11,440
three-week Sprint awarding $1 
million to the highest scoring 

1882
01:50:11,440 --> 01:50:15,640
team out of several. 102nd place
is 200,000 dollars. 10th place 

1883
01:50:15,640 --> 01:50:18,760
is $10,000. 
It's a if you're not first or 

1884
01:50:18,760 --> 01:50:21,840
last kind of tournament. 
His lightning in a bottle upside

1885
01:50:21,840 --> 01:50:24,640
is more appealing there. 
All that to say, Taylor can 

1886
01:50:24,640 --> 01:50:27,640
definitely be a good pick. 
I just think that usually there 

1887
01:50:27,640 --> 01:50:30,720
are better picks on the board. 
Manage league recommendation. 

1888
01:50:31,240 --> 01:50:36,120
Target at a discount. 
Josh Jacobs Legendary scenario 

1889
01:50:36,840 --> 01:50:39,800
Through the 1st 4 weeks of the 
season, the Packers are two and 

1890
01:50:39,800 --> 01:50:41,720
two. 
They dropped their first two 

1891
01:50:41,720 --> 01:50:44,240
games to the Lions and 
Commanders but recovered against

1892
01:50:44,240 --> 01:50:47,200
the Browns and Cowboys. 
Now on their bye week, Matt 

1893
01:50:47,200 --> 01:50:48,960
Lafleur is breaking down those 
games. 

1894
01:50:49,600 --> 01:50:53,120
It quickly becomes clear that 
the team will have more success 

1895
01:50:53,320 --> 01:50:55,800
if they lean on the run game for
consistency. 

1896
01:50:56,440 --> 01:51:00,840
Jordan Love offers explosive 
passing potential, but he was 

1897
01:51:00,840 --> 01:51:03,720
also exposed in shootout scripts
the first two weeks. 

1898
01:51:04,320 --> 01:51:07,600
The Packers will want to pick 
their spots in the passing game.

1899
01:51:08,120 --> 01:51:10,560
The new plan of attack pays 
immediate dividends with the 

1900
01:51:10,560 --> 01:51:13,480
Packers winning at home against 
the Bengals and then add wins 

1901
01:51:13,480 --> 01:51:15,800
against the Cardinals, Steelers 
and Panthers. 

1902
01:51:16,440 --> 01:51:19,400
Josh Jacobs is just as 
consistent as Levore hoped, 

1903
01:51:19,720 --> 01:51:23,520
handling 20 carries per game. 
Jacobs is a key part of the 

1904
01:51:23,520 --> 01:51:26,000
passing game as well, totalling 
53 receptions. 

1905
01:51:26,560 --> 01:51:30,040
Jacobs totals 340 carries and 53
receptions. 

1906
01:51:30,320 --> 01:51:33,600
Stunningly, both numbers exactly
match his 2022 numbers with the 

1907
01:51:33,600 --> 01:51:38,080
Raiders, but the 2025 Packers 
are not the 2022 Raiders. 

1908
01:51:38,600 --> 01:51:42,280
Although Lafleur isn't looking 
to lean on Love as the down to 

1909
01:51:42,280 --> 01:51:44,760
down engine of the offense, he 
understands the upside he brings

1910
01:51:44,760 --> 01:51:47,280
to the table. 
Working off Jacobs, Love 

1911
01:51:47,280 --> 01:51:50,040
generates downfield production, 
creating frequent scoring 

1912
01:51:50,040 --> 01:51:53,240
opportunities. 
Jacobs crushes his 2022 

1913
01:51:53,240 --> 01:51:57,480
touchdown total of 12, scoring 
21 times with 19 on the ground 

1914
01:51:57,480 --> 01:52:00,640
and two through the air. 
Jacobs is also a more efficient 

1915
01:52:00,640 --> 01:52:03,880
runner than in past seasons, 
setting a career high in yards 

1916
01:52:03,880 --> 01:52:05,520
per carry. 
At 5.0. 

1917
01:52:06,200 --> 01:52:10,760
Heading into week 15, Jacobs has
zero 30 plus point games, but 

1918
01:52:10,760 --> 01:52:16,760
from week 6 through 14 he hits 
20 plus in every single week. 

1919
01:52:17,200 --> 01:52:20,400
When Josh Jacobs is on the 
opposing squad, it spurs 

1920
01:52:20,400 --> 01:52:23,560
messages between Co managers. 
I've got a screenshot of a 

1921
01:52:23,560 --> 01:52:26,880
message that I sent to Pete in 
the future, says we're playing 

1922
01:52:26,880 --> 01:52:29,120
Josh Jacobs this week and he 
just replies. 

1923
01:52:29,400 --> 01:52:33,280
Well, the 20 plus point streak 
comes to an end against the 

1924
01:52:33,280 --> 01:52:37,760
Broncos in Week 15, but Jacobs 
still puts up a respectable 16.6

1925
01:52:37,760 --> 01:52:42,040
points and he gets right back on
track against the Bears with 24 

1926
01:52:42,040 --> 01:52:46,400
PPR points as part of a 21 to 14
win that clinches a wild card 

1927
01:52:46,400 --> 01:52:49,240
spot with the division title 
still up for grabs. 

1928
01:52:49,480 --> 01:52:51,440
The Packers host the Ravens in 
Week 17. 

1929
01:52:52,000 --> 01:52:53,960
Jacobs has proven his 
consistency. 

1930
01:52:54,440 --> 01:52:57,520
He's been the key to the Packers
success, both down to down and 

1931
01:52:57,520 --> 01:52:59,800
week to week. 
But if the Packers want a really

1932
01:52:59,800 --> 01:53:02,240
big play, they need to rely on 
Jordan Love. 

1933
01:53:02,800 --> 01:53:06,640
Jacobs has a couple 30 plus yard
runs, but as good as he's been, 

1934
01:53:07,080 --> 01:53:11,520
he has 0 of 40 plus he hasn't 
had one of those since week 12 

1935
01:53:11,680 --> 01:53:15,000
of 2023. 
That changes against the Ravens.

1936
01:53:15,360 --> 01:53:18,240
Baltimore's excellent defense 
bottles up Jacobs for much of 

1937
01:53:18,240 --> 01:53:20,960
the afternoon, but with 1210 
remaining in the third quarter, 

1938
01:53:21,360 --> 01:53:25,080
he takes a hand off from the 50 
truck, sticks Malachi Starks and

1939
01:53:25,080 --> 01:53:26,560
pinballs his way into the end 
zone. 

1940
01:53:27,000 --> 01:53:30,720
On 24 attempts, Jacobs totaled 
155 yards and two touchdowns. 

1941
01:53:31,240 --> 01:53:34,960
He also logs 5 receptions for 36
PPR points. 

1942
01:53:35,560 --> 01:53:38,640
Jacobs faders had gotten used to
the idea of him consistently 

1943
01:53:38,640 --> 01:53:42,320
putting up great weeks, but at 
least they thought he won't bury

1944
01:53:42,320 --> 01:53:44,720
us. 
With the faders now 6 feet 

1945
01:53:44,720 --> 01:53:48,080
under, Jacobs posts a 
championship winning, legendary 

1946
01:53:48,080 --> 01:53:51,200
season. 
Silent killer scenario. 

1947
01:53:52,200 --> 01:53:55,040
When the Packers built their 
offense around the run in 2024, 

1948
01:53:55,040 --> 01:53:58,800
it ended up being pretty ideal 
for Josh Jacobs, but the sequel 

1949
01:53:58,800 --> 01:54:01,680
isn't nearly as exciting. 
Part of the problem is that, 

1950
01:54:01,680 --> 01:54:04,920
like in 2024, the Packers don't 
have a number one wide receiver.

1951
01:54:05,640 --> 01:54:08,040
The issue with that is that they
just spent their first round 

1952
01:54:08,040 --> 01:54:10,480
pick on a wide receiver for the 
first time since 2002. 

1953
01:54:10,920 --> 01:54:13,440
But while Matthew Golden looks 
like a capable enough starter, 

1954
01:54:13,680 --> 01:54:16,520
he's more of a Romeo Dom's level
talent than someone who can 

1955
01:54:16,520 --> 01:54:21,160
consistently earn targets Where 
Still, Golden's Time 40 doesn't 

1956
01:54:21,160 --> 01:54:24,360
match his play speed. 
He's definitely quick, but he's 

1957
01:54:24,360 --> 01:54:27,000
not the type of burner who can 
take the top off the defense, 

1958
01:54:27,400 --> 01:54:30,080
which makes him a schematic 
downgrade from Christian Watson.

1959
01:54:30,680 --> 01:54:33,560
Golden turns out to be a less 
dynamic version of Jaden Reed, 

1960
01:54:33,840 --> 01:54:35,480
but with the ability to play 
outside. 

1961
01:54:36,320 --> 01:54:40,480
That's not terrible, but the 
2025 offense is severely lacking

1962
01:54:40,480 --> 01:54:43,040
in verticality. 
Jordan Love continues to lack 

1963
01:54:43,040 --> 01:54:46,440
consistency, and with weaponry 
better suited for consistent 

1964
01:54:46,440 --> 01:54:49,560
chunk gains than explosive 
downfield plays, Love looks out 

1965
01:54:49,560 --> 01:54:52,360
of sync with his offense. 
Matt Lafleur's solution is to 

1966
01:54:52,360 --> 01:54:55,560
run back the 2024 plan of 
attack, building the plane out 

1967
01:54:55,560 --> 01:54:58,600
of Josh Jacobs. 
And to Josh Jacobs credit, he 

1968
01:54:58,600 --> 01:55:01,520
carries the load for the 
Packers, handling 301 attempts 

1969
01:55:01,680 --> 01:55:05,040
for the second straight season. 
But Jacobs efficiency drops off 

1970
01:55:05,040 --> 01:55:09,440
slightly from 2024 is 4.4 yards 
per carry to his career mark of 

1971
01:55:09,440 --> 01:55:12,240
4.2. 
He also drops from 15 rushing 

1972
01:55:12,240 --> 01:55:16,120
touchdowns down to just 8 and 
returns to scoring 0 receiving 

1973
01:55:16,520 --> 01:55:19,120
touchdowns after scoring his 
first receiving touchdown of his

1974
01:55:19,120 --> 01:55:24,120
entire career in 2024. 
Jacobs also sees his receptions 

1975
01:55:24,120 --> 01:55:32,560
drop from 36 down to 29 and his 
receiving yards from 342 to 222.

1976
01:55:33,920 --> 01:55:37,920
The Packers week 17 loss to the 
Ravens is a microcosm of his 

1977
01:55:37,920 --> 01:55:40,200
season. 
The Packers work to establish 

1978
01:55:40,200 --> 01:55:43,080
Jacobs early, feeding him 10 
carries in the first half. 

1979
01:55:43,440 --> 01:55:47,080
He delivers 44 scoreless yards 
as the Packers fall behind by 10

1980
01:55:47,800 --> 01:55:49,560
receiving. 
The second-half kick off, the 

1981
01:55:49,560 --> 01:55:53,760
Packers grind out an 8 minute 19
second Dr. culminating with 

1982
01:55:53,760 --> 01:55:55,960
Jacobs punching in a 2 yard 
touchdown. 

1983
01:55:56,320 --> 01:56:00,160
Jacobs is now up to 15 carries 
on the day for 61 yards in a TD.

1984
01:56:01,080 --> 01:56:04,680
But after a long Ravens drive, 
Jacobs next touch isn't until 

1985
01:56:04,680 --> 01:56:07,000
the beginning of the fourth 
quarter With the Packers down 

1986
01:56:07,000 --> 01:56:10,160
10, it's a 3 yard reception on 
2nd and 10. 

1987
01:56:10,640 --> 01:56:14,320
After Dantavian Wicks drop on 
the following play, the Packers 

1988
01:56:14,320 --> 01:56:18,640
punt down 17. 
Jacobs adds a total of 5 yards 

1989
01:56:18,640 --> 01:56:22,400
on 2 garbage time carries. 
His day ends with 64 total yards

1990
01:56:22,400 --> 01:56:27,520
and a touchdown for 13.4 PPR 
points, his average score for 

1991
01:56:27,520 --> 01:56:33,120
the season with just 229 PPR 
points on 330 touches. 

1992
01:56:33,680 --> 01:56:37,480
It's a season reminiscent of 
Naji Harris's 2022, when he 

1993
01:56:37,480 --> 01:56:42,880
turned 272 carries and 41 
receptions into just 225 PPR 

1994
01:56:42,880 --> 01:56:47,080
points for 13.3 a game. 
How to play it? 

1995
01:56:47,560 --> 01:56:50,280
Jacobs is a good running back 
who combines the ability to 

1996
01:56:50,280 --> 01:56:53,240
handle big workloads with decent
receiving versatility. 

1997
01:56:53,840 --> 01:56:56,560
Jacobs is also coming off one of
his best rushing seasons, 

1998
01:56:56,800 --> 01:56:59,040
finishing Running Back 5 and 
Rushroads are expected behind 

1999
01:56:59,040 --> 01:57:01,760
Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, 
Chuba Hubbard, and Jameer Gibbs.

2000
01:57:02,440 --> 01:57:05,640
But Jacobs has been a consistent
chunk play runner over the 

2001
01:57:05,640 --> 01:57:08,240
course of his career rather than
a game breaking explosive 

2002
01:57:08,240 --> 01:57:10,360
runner. 
He's only once finished with a 

2003
01:57:10,360 --> 01:57:13,880
breakaway percentage of 25% plus
and it was his rookie season 

2004
01:57:13,880 --> 01:57:17,440
when he was at 32%. 
Jonathan Taylor has hit 32% plus

2005
01:57:17,440 --> 01:57:20,560
in three different seasons, 
including a 36% mark last year. 

2006
01:57:20,880 --> 01:57:25,400
Saquon Barkley has hit 32% + 6 
different times and was at 44% 

2007
01:57:25,400 --> 01:57:28,040
last year. 
Jamir Gibbs is coming off a 42% 

2008
01:57:28,040 --> 01:57:31,600
mark and was at 39% as a rookie.
Jacob's lack of explosive 

2009
01:57:31,600 --> 01:57:35,880
playmaking means he needs a huge
rushing workload in combination 

2010
01:57:36,200 --> 01:57:39,240
with an elite touchdown and or 
receiving profile to pick up the

2011
01:57:39,240 --> 01:57:41,240
slack. 
But while Jacobs is a solid 

2012
01:57:41,240 --> 01:57:44,760
enough receiver, he's never had 
more than 400 receiving yards 

2013
01:57:44,960 --> 01:57:47,680
and has a career yards per 
outrun of just 1.19. 

2014
01:57:48,480 --> 01:57:51,120
He will add solid receiving 
production, but it's unlikely to

2015
01:57:51,120 --> 01:57:52,880
be the driver of a legendary 
season. 

2016
01:57:53,200 --> 01:57:55,600
In a way that's actually pretty 
damn plausible for Bijan 

2017
01:57:55,600 --> 01:57:58,960
Robinson, Jamir Gibbs, Christian
McCaffrey, and Ivan A Chan. 

2018
01:57:59,480 --> 01:58:03,480
In fact, as a veteran bet on the
status quo, his path to a 

2019
01:58:03,480 --> 01:58:06,240
receiving breakout looks 
considerably thinner than Bucky 

2020
01:58:06,240 --> 01:58:10,080
Irving's or Chase Brown's. 
Jacobs is locked into a strong 

2021
01:58:10,080 --> 01:58:14,160
workload for the Packers, a team
that fed him 337 touches in 

2022
01:58:14,160 --> 01:58:16,960
2024. 
But consider that in 2023, 

2023
01:58:16,960 --> 01:58:20,640
Christian McCaffrey saw just two
more touches than Jacobs did. 

2024
01:58:20,800 --> 01:58:25,000
In 2024. 
McCaffrey turned 339 touches 

2025
01:58:25,280 --> 01:58:31,480
into 393 PPR points. 
Jacobs averaged just 17.4. 

2026
01:58:32,040 --> 01:58:36,560
Additionally, while Jacobs 301 
carries were only RB6 last year,

2027
01:58:37,160 --> 01:58:43,080
that would have been enough for 
RB1IN2023RB4 in 2022 and RB3 in 

2028
01:58:43,080 --> 01:58:45,640
2021. 
He's not coming off a normal 

2029
01:58:45,640 --> 01:58:48,760
season, he's coming off an 
extremely high volume rushing 

2030
01:58:48,760 --> 01:58:52,720
workload that will be difficult 
for him to repeat, and even if 

2031
01:58:52,720 --> 01:58:56,720
he does, his scoring profile 
creates risk that he'll still be

2032
01:58:56,720 --> 01:59:01,080
a silent killer. 1 of Jacob's 
path to a legendary season is if

2033
01:59:01,080 --> 01:59:04,400
the Packers pass more and rely 
less on Jacobs in the running 

2034
01:59:04,400 --> 01:59:06,320
game. 
Jacobs was impressive as a 

2035
01:59:06,320 --> 01:59:08,760
receiver last year, finishing 
running back seven in yards per 

2036
01:59:08,760 --> 01:59:11,280
outrun and running back 4IN 
ESPN's receiver rating. 

2037
01:59:11,640 --> 01:59:13,640
If the Packers are willing to 
throw this year and Jacobs 

2038
01:59:13,640 --> 01:59:16,560
operates in a three down roll, 
he could be an extremely 

2039
01:59:16,560 --> 01:59:20,520
consistent fantasy producer. 
I think that path is unlikely. 

2040
01:59:20,880 --> 01:59:24,200
Jacobs is 27 and is coming off a
career year in receiving 

2041
01:59:24,200 --> 01:59:28,760
efficiency, but it does at least
provide another thin path to 23 

2042
01:59:28,760 --> 01:59:31,600
plus points per game. 
Outside of seeing nearly 400 

2043
01:59:31,600 --> 01:59:35,080
touches, I find Jacobs more 
interesting as a best ball pick 

2044
01:59:35,480 --> 01:59:37,760
where's potential to 
consistently hold down a running

2045
01:59:37,760 --> 01:59:41,440
back spot makes him a good fit 
for hero, double hero, or hyper 

2046
01:59:41,440 --> 01:59:44,480
fragile running back builds. 
I'm at 6% in my best ball 

2047
01:59:44,480 --> 01:59:47,560
portfolio and I've typically 
taken him in round three rather 

2048
01:59:47,560 --> 01:59:50,240
than round two. 
But in managed leagues, a second

2049
01:59:50,240 --> 01:59:52,720
round price tag. 
I'd rather build wide receiver 

2050
01:59:52,720 --> 01:59:56,600
depth or take Brock Bowers 
manage league recommendation 

2051
01:59:57,240 --> 01:59:59,920
fade. 
All right, that'll do it for 

2052
01:59:59,920 --> 02:00:02,160
this article. 
Thanks so much for listening. 

2053
02:00:02,920 --> 02:00:05,000
Thank you so much. 
If you're a subscriber to 

2054
02:00:05,000 --> 02:00:07,560
Legendary Upside or if you're 
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2055
02:00:07,560 --> 02:00:10,520
on the free feed, appreciate you
getting all the way through 

2056
02:00:10,520 --> 02:00:11,680
this. 
Hope you enjoyed it. 

2057
02:00:12,640 --> 02:00:16,200
I do record all my articles on 
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2058
02:00:16,200 --> 02:00:18,320
Podcast feed. 
One of the perks of subscribing.

2059
02:00:18,800 --> 02:00:22,640
Check that out over at 
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2060
02:00:22,640 --> 02:00:26,760
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2061
02:00:26,760 --> 02:00:30,360
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2062
02:00:30,960 --> 02:00:34,760
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Lots of great content coming in 

2063
02:00:34,760 --> 02:00:37,520
season including my weekly 
preview article called the 

2064
02:00:37,520 --> 02:00:41,880
Walkthrough where I break down 
all the games on the main Sunday

2065
02:00:41,880 --> 02:00:45,040
slate. 
Good luck in your drafts. 

2066
02:00:45,280 --> 02:00:49,320
Hope I got this to you in time 
for you to use it for your 

2067
02:00:49,320 --> 02:00:54,000
drafts. 
And best of luck in the 2025 

2068
02:00:54,280 --> 02:00:55,080
Fantasy season.